Desert Fortress
by CreativeChilde
Summary: Link can't stand the bloodshed, so when he is offered peace in exchange for one life, can he really refuse? GanLink. Chap 38: Averyn thought he knew everything and thought he was in love. If only he hadn't been so foolish!
1. The Choice

ABOUT THE FOLLOWING:

so I've been pancakey about all of this. But with the last review I read, saying that the original was better written, I decided that better written was what I wanted, not necessarily characteristically correct.

So yeah. They're OOC. Who freaking cares? If you do, this time, keep your comments to yourself. So you don't like the way Link is portrayed, write about him yourself then. This is MY fanfiction, so back off.

If you don't like it, don't read it. That simple. If you read it anyway, don't flame it, it's your fault you read it.

And I was wrong for changing it, it just added unnecessary conflict.

Anyway, Link's OOC. Ganon's OOC. Whatever, read it or don't, I'll live.

I don't own anyone in the Zelda world anyway, what right do I have in writing them in character? They're not mine.

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**Chapter one: The Choice**

The choice was either the hardest one. . . or the simplest of them all.

I had gone through decrepit temples, dungeons of sand, caverns of lava, caverns of sea, rundown waterways, frozen mansions, a skycastle that crumbled underfoot, the Hyrulian palace, the world of the Twili, even the cave of ordeals. . . I had collected all sixty poes for that greed-ridden man. I had collected all twenty-four golden bugs for that insane girl. I found every scattered heart piece. I uncovered every secret hole in the ground. Every crevice of this world I knew, every river I swam, every crest I rode over! My face and my deeds were known far and wide by the people living here.

I was a brother to the Gorons. A hero to the Zoras. A champion to my village. A savior to the kingdom.

Everything was done. Everything but my final job, my original quest. I had put off the battle for long enough. I knew it was to be the longest, the hardest and the most painful. And how I hated having to lift my blade again and raise it against someone. . .

I would rather chase down a hundred of those golden bugs than fight one more battle.

Somehow, I think Ganondorf knew this. . .

Which brings me back to the beginning of this all. The hard-easy choice. His words had stopped me as I entered the throne room. I was reaching for my blade, as was now my dreadful habit to do when entering anything, when he said loudly, his voice reverberating throughout the room, "I have something to say, before we begin, Chosen Hero."

He never called me by name. I had thought of that once before. . . but decided that was just the way it was to be. But as I thought of it now, I hesitated on drawing my sword.

"Don't listen to him Link!" it was Zelda's shrill voice, "just fight him already!"

Something must have shown on my face, because Midna, floating beside me, made a sly 'hmm' noise as she lay against my shoulder. I brought my hand down, disobeying my princess. I would not fight him. Not until I had to. That blade was bloodier-- my hands were bloodier than I ever wanted them to--or thought they could-- be.

I met Ganondorf's gaze and nodded. I froze my face over, to not let my thoughts escape that way.

He smirked, "Willing to listen? I thought so. Here is my offer." He stepped down from the throne, where Zelda knelt, chained with orange-gold chains of magic. "One thing. One soul for this kingdom, for this princess. . . just one."

"One soul for all that? Was this the point of your ridiculous plot? For one soul!" Midna scoffed at him.

"I was not speaking to you, Midna." He stepped forward again, his long cloak swirling around him. His golden eyes looked at me again, shimmering as they hid his secrets. "Will you hear more from me, Chosen Hero? Will you see what I want? Or will you fight me?"

This choice, given to me, Hero of Time, Savior of Hyrule... I could not chose alone, for all my courage, for all my strength... for all my cunning. I glanced at Zelda, she shook her head no, her hands folded together like she was praying to me, begging me to slay him. . .I turned slightly to Midna, she just shrugged, leaving it up to me. I looked at Ganondorf and waved for him to continue. I would at least hear him out. . .

Holding out his hand to me, Ganondorf smiled in a way I had not seen before and asked quietly, "Give me your body, your soul, your mind. Give me everything you are. . .Give me you, Link. . . and this kingdom and this princess and all this power. . .will be unnecessary."

Eh? He said my name? In such a tone of gentle truth. . . I blinked and stepped back, properly startled. All that power he's be searching for? Give it all up for me?

"You are insane." Midna stated.

Zelda looked confused, "What? What was the offer?" She had not heard Ganondorf then?

"If Link. . ." he paused after my name, as he spoke to Zelda and looked to me, "If he will give himself to me. If he will sacrifice himself to me, then I promise to leave and never return for this kingdom or it's power. I will return to my desert world, taking the Hero with me and I will remain there with him and my thieves." He stopped and took a deep breath. "But if he will not be the sacrifice for this kingdom, we will fight to the death, right now." He drew his sword, a long, black, beast of metal and held it down at his side.

But his hand was still outstretched to me.

Midna looked at me curiously. She knew of my desire to stop fighting. She knew of my desire to lay my sword down forever and to succumb to a simple life. . . She knew that I would probably kill myself before killing Ganondorf, because I could not stand killing another, innocent or not. . .

Zelda stared at me in horror and fear. She only thought she knew what I would do. She thought I would fight, take up the Master Sword and smite this evil man. . .

The Master Sword of Death. . . I drew my shield from my back and held it on my arm. Zelda's eyes brightened at my actions. It sickened me to know she wanted me to kill a man. . .

The shield dropped from my numb fingers and clattered loudly on the stone floor. It was too heavy to hold.

I drew the master sword then and held it up. Shimmering blue steel, like always, with no trace of the death it caused. . . I dropped the sword too. The steel hitting the ground with a peal that rang like a pure crystal bell. I unbuckled the strap across my chest and it fell to the ground with a dull leathery thud.

Zelda gasped.

Midna closed her eyes and turned her head away.

Ganondorf sheathed his sword.

But I was not finished.

Staring at the red-headed man I pulled out my bow, dropping it with a wooden _thwock_. I pulled out all three bomb bags, one _thump_, two _thud_, three _whump_. I lifted out the ball and chain, _chunk_ it dented the floor as it fell. That Dominion rod, it fell to the ground, _tocktocktock-t-tock-k-k-k_ clattering like a wooden stick. The desert spinner, I tossed it aside, _th-chunk!_ and it chipped the rock floor. The iron boots, I held them for a moment, remembering Bo, my village Mayor. . . _whunk-wumk_ they broke the floor like the ball and chain. Next was the Ordon sword and simple wooden shield, these I knelt and lay carefully on the ground. Then I stood, brushing my knees off as I did.

I kept the boomerang, the fishing pole, the bottles, hawk's eyes, the double clawshots and a few other things for myself. Everything that was not used to kill, maim or damage I kept.

I nodded my head, looking down at the things of death cluttering around my feet. I stepped away from them, moving away from them as one would move away from a leper. I looked at Ganondorf, I was finished with my self-appointed removal of items.

He was looming over me and Midna now, over six feet of dark, solid, man. "You will never have to fight ever again." He whispered, looking down at me. "You will never have to spill blood ever again." His hand raised slightly, but dropped again before reaching its goal.

Its goal. . .my face?

I glanced at Ganondorf, he nodded slightly and walked past me. Could he read the thoughts on my face? Was that nod an affirmation of my guess? Was he telling me that he _was_ going for my face?

Over his shoulder I heard him call out, "I will send some of my servants to your home in a few days. Await them there. Midna, wait with him. My servants will have something to return you to your original shape." A he left the room, the magical chains on Zelda vanished.

Midna touched my shoulder and my cheek gently, looking up at me and asking, "Are you sure this is what you are willing to pay to stop killing?"

I nodded, it was the perfect price, the only price large enough, to keep my hands off of another weapon.

She nodded in reply. "Even though he could be planning on horrible things to do to you? Torture, castration, slow death... to name a few?"

I shrugged, it was the proper punishment for all of my crimes. Whatever he did, it was the punishment I would endure.

She just nodded her head again.

I sat then, Midna drifting in the air beside me as I sat and closed my eyes. That was when Zelda collapsed at my feet, grabbing my tunic front and shaking me, screaming and crying. Instinctively I stood and pushed her away, my right hand rising up and gripping the hilt that was no longer there and swinging my arm down.

Utter silence fell over us as my arm completed the arch and, had I been holding my sword and not air, Zelda's head would have fallen to the floor.

Midna, seemingly unfazed, sighed and said, "You see, Zelda, he is wound to tightly. Link must relax, he must stop fighting, before he can no longer stop."

Zelda looked up at me, her blue eyes wide with horror as she put her gloved hand to her neck and nodded. Swallowing she stood shakily and said in a trembling voice, "I see now. Link. . .please be careful. And. . .thank you for the sacrifice. . ."

I turned away, dropping my hand to my side, what is wrong with me! I could kill the princess I swore to protect! Midna touched my cheek, bringing me from my thoughts and she whispered to me, "Let's get you home, Link. C'mon. . ." She took my hand and led me a few steps away. Then she opened a portal and we were gone.

* * *

yeahp. 

i'm done editing this one. i'ma gonna type up the next chapter now. . .

R&R

cut back on the flames, protect your forests.


	2. Goodbye

Disclaimer: I don't own the Zelda troupe, if I did they'd be a book and not a video game

also, they're freaking ooc! Omg! Gasp! Its a fanfiction! Who knew????

Well, enjoy Link's sadness!

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**Chapter Two: Goodbye**

Midna warped me around Hyrule. Letting me get one last look of the land. The Gorens were saddened by my decision, but gave me their grandest farewell and a rock carved to bear whitness to my being one of them. After that, I said goodbye to Renado and his child, the bombmaker and Malo.

We went to the Zoras next. They treated me as a hero, the Zora prince held up better than I amagined he would, especially when I returned his father's suit to him. His hands trembled as he touched the scales, tears coming to his eyes, but not falling. He gave me his necklace, it is a long leather thong with the largest fish tooth I had ever seen.

Quietly he whispered to me, "This belonged to my father, it is from the last sea beast he killed." Straightening, he stepped back and annouced, his hand resting on my shoulder, "May the goddesses watch over you in that distant land. . ."

I bowed my head and held back my tears, I hated to leave this beautiful place, but I hated even more to put it in danger. Standing slowly, I bowed to him and stepped back. Midna warped us out of there and to the Ordon spring.

* * *

Once there, she materialized beside me and floated across the water, to where Epona stood. Beside my horse she turned to look at me with her unreadable orange eyes and said, "You going to say goodbye to her?"

Epona's round brown eyes looked at me, did she know already?

I rushed through the spring's water to my trusted companion. Hugging her neck, I let tears fall, I had not thought that I would loose Epona as well. . .

My horse nuzzled me, neighing softly as she looked at me. Understanding glimmered in her eyes. _I do not want to leave you_, I held her head then, kissing her beautiful forehead. _But if I must. . ._

"She understands." Midna whispered beside me.

I looked to the Twili princess. _Could you. . .?_ She nodded and floated away, leaving me to say my goodbyes in private.

A good hour or two later, Epona walked back with me to my home. My hand held her face as she held it over my shoulder. I did not want to loose her, she who knew me better than I knew myself sometimes. . .

Midna waited for us at the ladder. She drifted to me as we walked up, surprising me when she threw her arms around my neck and wept. "I will miss you, Hero. . . Link. . ."

I looked at her, holding her tiny hands in mine as my eyes met hers. _I will miss you too, Midna. This adventure. . . these quests. . . without you I wouldn't have. . ._

"Made it?" she chuckled weakly, "Of course not you silly boy! But this last quest. . . you'll have to do it alone. I must go home and rule my people."

I nodded. Wiping the tear from her cheek as she smiled faintly at me.

"I didn't think it would end this way. . . but, the future is as unpredictable as you humans are. . ." she squeezed my other hand. "I suppose you should get some rest before your trip? You need to sleep, Link." She vanished into my shado again, leaving me alone with Epona.

Patting the horse on the nose, I left her there, climbing up the ladder to my home. Everything was final now. . . Everything was over. . .

* * *

It was three days later. I had not left my home except to take Epona to the spring and bathe. All my things were packed up, with the lightest clothing I could find filling one saddlebag and my favorite and sentimental items in the other. This bag carried a little flute that I had made when I was a child, a picture of Epona and I when she was just a little filly, the horse whistle Ilia had made for me, a specially woven tunic of dark blue from Renado, all the letters I had gotten from all my friends and last but not least, my favorite jar of honey and a small box of cake that I'd gotten from Agitha.

These two bags sat beside my door, waiting for the eventual call, as I sat on my table, eating bread smeared with honey. Honey. My beloved sweet. My delicious temptation. I licked my fingers as I finished the slice of bread. I hadn't had honey at all on my quest, and I had missed it so dearly...

And now I would be going into the desert, where I was sure there would never be any honey. This was it, the last of my true love. . .

Since my return home, I had eaten four jars of it. Honey on bread. Honey on cheese. Honey on ham. Honey on apples. Honey on carrots. Honey in milk. Honey on tomatoes. Honey on salad. Honey on my fingers. Honey on my lips. Honey. Honey. _Honey_.

Looking into the now empty honey jar, I sighed. Except for my favorite jar, there was no more honey left. . . From the table, I began to eye the bag that held the jar, I could pick up more on my way out of town. . . right?

But a knock at the door reached me before he reached any conclusion. "Link! It's mee!" Ilia said outside my door. "I have news for you!"

Sighing again, I walked to the door and opened it. I smiled to her. She smiled back, as she said, "There are some women waiting for you at my father's home. I'm sure you know nothing about them thought. Right?"

_Of course I didn't know anything about them, but I probably should go see them..._

She smiled and grabbed my arm in a hug, "I knew you weren't cheating on me!"

_Cheating? What?_

But she didn't catch that as she pulled me out of my house and onto my porch. "Lets go and get this little matter taken care of, shall we?" She rushed down my ladder and then stepped back, waiting for me to do the same.

I just jumped off, energized from my honey. She grabbed my arm again and hauled me to the village. Epona walked behind us.

In Bo's house sat four women. Three of them red-headed and tan skinned. The fourth one had dark brown skin and bright red hair. Her eyes were orange and she did not wear the face covering that the other two wore. Standing, she came to me and knelt at my feet.

"Master Link, we've come on my Master's orders to guide you to our desert home."

And suddenly, it all clued in for me.

I glanced at Bo, over Ilia's head, _Take her, please, I need to talk to them alone._ Ilia began to question me as the woman continued to kneel there, but her father pealed her off of me and took her out of the house.

I looked at the woman, _Ganondorf has sent you? _

She nodded, "I currently have a woman getting the bags we presume you have packed and putting them on your horse so we may leave as soon as possible. My Master expects us by the end of the week."

_My horse, they're outfitting Epona? I can take her with me?_ I excitedly smiled at the woman.

She smiled back kindly,"My Master knows how attached you are to her. He would not dare bring you saddness that could be easily revoked by her prescence. Besides, she is to darling to leave behind."

_Then why are we still here? If I can take Epona, I am all set, I have no goodbyes to say now._

"And that girl there?" the woman's eyes glanced past me to the door and then back to me.

_It is better if her father tells her. . ._ I turned away then and walked to the door. Looking back at them I said, _what are you waiting for?_

The women quickly stood to follow.

There were more of them outside, six more infact. One of them was strapping my saddle bags to Epona while another fed my horse an apple. At my step, my red mare lifted her head and whinnied at me, she knew she was coming too! I laughed a little and went to her head, patting her nose and crooning to her. It was wonderful that I did not have to leave my best friend behind.

As I got onto her saddle, I saw the people of my village gathering on the other side of the river, waiting and watching, uncertain of what I was doing and who these woman were. I tried not to look at them, worried that if I did then I would change my mind.

The darkskinned woman pulled her dun up beside me and said, "We're ready to go now, Master Link."

"Hold it!" Midna cried, pulling out from my shadow. "Ganondorf promised me something to remove this stupid curse!"

"Of course." the woman smiled, reaching into her saddlebags and pulling out a small silver chain. "This should do what you wish, Princess Midna."

Midna took the chain with disdain in her voice, but delight in her eyes. "Fine, thank you. We will be stopping by the mirror on our way to your home, yes?"

"No." the woman shook her head. "Our paths part when we enter the forest."

Midna's eyes fell onto me, she had not expected to be parted so soon either. She reached a hand to my face and I looked down, I would miss Midna as well. But she was needed in her world...

"Nooooo! LINK!" a scretching wail cut through my thoughts as a white streak darted towards me, spooking Epona and the other horses. It was Ilia. She grabbed my arm and the reigns and cried out, "You are leaving me? You can't leave me! We were destined to be together! Link!"

Looking into her frightened, hysterical face, I felt my resolve shattering. She needed me, how could I leave her like this? Was this what a hero would do? Break the lives that he promised to save?

The dark woman grabbed Ilia by the hair and pulled her back. Ilia released me and screamed in pain as the woman picked her up by the arm and hauled her up and over her horse. Dumping Ilia on her other side, she nudged her horse closer to Epona. To Ilia she said, "Keep your hands off of Master Link, wench. This is a deal that was forged without you, because you are no factor in it! Begone and give us no more of your hysterics!"

Bo hurried to his daughter, helping her up and carrying her away as she screamed and fought him.

"Ladies!" the dark woman held out her hand, "Onward!"

The mass moved in formation, one at our head, followed by two, followed by two more, then me and two on either side of me and two behind me and one behind them. We went by the villagers, I kept my eyes on Epona's head, unable to look into their confused faces. Epona walked with the group on her own, my heart was not in it and I gave her no commands. We continued through the village, then past my house and the spring. At the fork after the tunnel, Midna appeared. The silver chain was around her hand now, she was waiting to put it on. She gave me a quick kiss on my forehead and then patted both of my cheeks and grinned at me.

"Give Ganon hell." Midna muttered under her breath before she floated away, opening a portal and leaving without turning back.

I gripped the reigns tighter, Midna was really gone now...

The dark skinned woman put her hand over mine and I looked up into her orange-gold eyes. "I know you don't understand anything right now. And you're probably confused and even a little scared, but, Master Link. I promise that the truth will come to you and you will one day understand everything that you do not now. But now, we have to keep going and enter a portal that will take us to an oasis where we will start our journey in the desert. Are you ready?"

I just nodded my head. Who cares? I could die before we got there and if not, I would probably die when I did get there.

What else but death could Ganondorf want from me?

* * *

What else indeed?

Read and Review!!!

No flames, protect your homes!

Ps. Wow, a lot of people like this one!hahahaha


	3. The Journey

Disclaimer: No, i don't own them, yes let us weep together...

PS: all ya'll are going to hate me for this ending! sorry, kinda a spoiler! heh heh

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**Chapter** **Three: The Journey**

When I saw the portal open, a oval shaped rippling pool of greenish water that hung in the air vertically. It was nothing like the black spots that Midna called portals. But then, eleven of us had to go through it. . . and I suppose Ganondorf had made it.

The women went through in a line, five of them and then me, then the last five. Epona snorted a little before stepping through, but she wasn't about to be shown up by the other ten horses. So she stepped through without much hesitation.

Colors swirled in my vision. Time froze and sped up at the same time. My stomach lurched back as my chest lurched forwards. Nausea swept over me as Epona's foot landed on soft sand. My whole body trembled as she minced forward to the group that waited for us. Some of the women smiled behind their veils, giggling at me of course.

I took a deep breath and sat up, looking around to see my new surroundings. To my right a large pool of water, surrounded by several rocks and bushes. Around that some tall trees with wide leaves right at the top. To my left, desert as far as I could see.

When the last of the women had arrived, the portal closed, leaving a small jar in it's place. The dark skinned woman dropped down to pick it up and then swung back up into her saddle. She turned to me and said, "Master Link, my name is Sukrabella, I am Ganon's birth mother and his sub-commander. I'm sure we'll find that we can get along just fine. I have heard much about you from my son, and I am curious to see if he speaks truth, or embellished myth."

I was stunned, _Ganondorf has a mother?_ She didn't look old enough to have a son as old as Ganon! Nor did she look mean enough...

She chuckled, "Everyone was once a child, young master, and every child came from a mother. Now come, we have a long, dry trail ahead of us. We must start before the sun rises." she raised her hands and her women fell into formation, just like before. She stayed at my right side as we started down the dune.

Epona had trouble with her footing at first, slipping a little on the treacherous sand. My unhappiness and nervousness did not help her much either, making her anxious too.

The women slid into a new formation, like the one when we had gone through the portal. Five in front of me and five behind, all in a straight line. The one just before me was Sukrabella, her bearing on her horse like she was a queen.

Easily six foot tall, Sukrabella's orange-red hair was pulled up high on her head, in Bo's home, it had only been red. However, here in the sun, her hair was a brighter more orange color, like Ganondorf's hair... And it was long, still reaching down to the middle of her back after being doubled into a loose bun on her head. A white burnoose-looking thing covered most of her face and shoulders and the very top of her head. Her chest covering, a light vest that was stitched up the front, was white with blue lining. Her slightly billowy pants, tight around her hips and her ankles, were a lighter blue with the cuffs dark like the night sky. Her skin was offset by the white and light blue, giving it a healthy chocolate brown color.

_Oh gods,_ _**chocolate**_. Would I ever taste that delicious sweet out here in this barren wasteland?

In my distraction by the sweet, I failed to notice the hawk careening down towards me until its shriek jerked Epona to a stop. My head snapped from side to side and behind me as my hand automatically reached behind for my bow or sword. Glimpsing the shadow on the ground to my right, I looked up, in time to see the hawk swoop down low to the ground, loosing momentum and height as it came towards us. "Master Link, hold out your arm!" Sukrabella called, her mount had stopped several feat ahead of mine. Both she and her mount were half turned as her orange eyes flashed from me to the bird.

Instantly I obeyed, and the gold crested hawk alighted on my arm, making pleased noises and preening. Sukrabella turned her horse all the way around and came back to me, grinning. "Master Link," she said, "Meet Kurrok. He is our fastest bird messenger. It seems my son is troubled by something."

The hawk chirped and fluffked his feathers. Opening its beak, Ganon's voice poured out of it's mouth.

"Hello Mother, hello Link, I hope that Kurrok meets you before you go through Thoreu's Gate. A rockslide has blocked the pass and it seems that it will not be open for several weeks. The high road is the only other option, on foot that is. I do not want Epona to slip and get hurt, and I would very upset if I heard that she broke her leg on some sliprock. I advise that the horses get taken to the Pontai Village just west of the Gate and wait there for it to open. Meanwhile, the rest of you can go it on foot."

Epona looked up an the sound of her name, her brown eyes curiously looking at the bird on my arm. I looked at the bird too, how could it speak like Ganondorf?

"Is that all my son?" Sukrabella tapped her chin, this would complicate things. . .

"No." Ganondorf's voice came again. Kurrok lifted his leg, tied tightly around it was a long white sash looking scarf thing. "This is for Link, who probably needs the head protection. I believe that none of you saw fit to give him any?" His voice was light, but carried a disappointed undertone.

Sukrabella sighed, "Damn, I forgot."

Kurrok hopped upon my arm a little, "Take the burnoose, Link. It is to keep the sun off of your head and shoulders." The hawk raised the foot that was wrapped and I untied the cloth. It was soft and white and cool. "I magicked it for you, it should be just what you need under the sun."

I nodded my head, suspicious, but growing less so as I fingered the cloth.

The bird put his leg down and said, tilting its head to the side, "I expect you to be wearing that when you come through my doors. Now hand Kurrok to my mother so that she may give him a message for me. Good luck, my hero, remember to keep yourself cool and hydrated." Sukrabella's outstretched arm took the hawk from me as she sidled her horse aside to give Kurrok a message.

From behind, one of the women came up, "Master Link, let me help you put that on." she took the burnoose from me and quickly wrapped it around my head. Soon, the cool white cloth covered everything but my eyes and I felt much happier.

I nodded my head to her, grateful, as she nudged her horse back into the ranks.

A flap of wings and a keening cry were the only things that surrounded Kurrok's departure. I watched the hawk leave for a moment as Sukrabella returned to her place feet ahead of me. She raised and dropped her arm, and the group began to move, Epona with them as I watched the bird go. It was curious to me, a bird with Ganondorf's voice, a gift from my enemy, the genuine concern for my horse. I fingered the hem of the cloth with a right hand.

I had not known then that this gift was just the first of many, many more. . .

* * *

It was hot. Unbearably hot. I would take a drink from my canteen and the water would cool my throat and mouth, but only for a moment. The sun bore down on my back and legs, a continuous stream of heat and light that got worse the longer he was outside.

My hands, sitting idly in my lap and holding the reigns, were red now. I stared at them, watching as they began to burn red hot from the sunlight. Never had I experienced such pain. It was constant and I had no idea what to do about it.

And Epona was doing worse. Sand flew up in her face from time to time, getting into her eyes and her nostrils. Snorting, she'd shake her head and blink her eyes, trying to get rid of the sand. But it got everywhere and into everything. In her hooves, under my saddle, in her hair, between any thing that rubbed together. From they way she hung her head slightly, her ears flat with her discomfort, I could tell she was unhappy.

I patted her neck, my fingers scolding me when I uncurled them, and she just bobbed her head for me. She knew that this was necessary. She knew that we had to go. And even though she hated everything about the trip, she would go.

Looking up, I saw that the first gerudo of the line had reached another oaisis. Not only this, but the landscape had changed significantly. On our right there was still sand, but on our left towered a mountain. It was like it had just sprung out of the ground, I had not seen it before.

But who cares about mountains when you can have water!

The oaisis was heaven. I dismounted Epona and quickly pulled my gear off of her. Sukrabella brought me a bucket and said, "For you and your mount to use, wash up, get cool." It was full of clear water, and I put it before Epona, and she began to drink. Brushing most of the sand from her coat, I poured the rest of the water down across her back, shoulders, rump and head. She shook herself, snorting at me in gratitude.

Next I shook out the saddle blanket and then saddle itself. Another of the women took it from me and pushed me towards the spring, "Go, cool yourself." she pressed the bucket into my hands and giggled as I stumbled to the water.

I dipped the pail into the water, sitting in the shade and pouring it over my head, burnoose and all. The trickling water was heaven against my burning skin. I had chaffed my hands while working on Epona, but the felt much better as I set them in the pail after refilling it again. The sand whispered beside me and I turned to see Sukrabella. She pulled out my arm and looked at my hand, scowling. "Damn, forgot about this too." she muttered, pulling a leather flask from her hip and opening it with her teeth. Squeezing the greenish goo on my hand she continued to speak, "This'll help the burn, but next time, don't let me forget to give you the lotion that prevents this. Its always better to prevent sunfire than to treat it. Alright?"

I nodded. The goo, smelling odd and looking weird, worked wonders on my burned hands.

Sukrabella chirped something to one of the girls, I still had not learned any of their names, and she brought over a pouch. Opening it, Sukrabella wrapped my hands gently. "This will keep the medicine from rubbing off and the sun off of your hands to do more damage. Let's see your face." she brought her hand up, brushing back my bangs and making soft 'tsking' noises.

I had worn the burnoose around my face since I had recieve it, so she did not find any burns there, but my arms, above my gauntlets, and below my sleeves, was as red as Epona's coat. She applied more of the green medicine to my arms and wrapped them too. Easing back onto her heels, she looked me over and grinned, apparently, my appearance pleased her. "You look a little more like a desert man now. Not so much a forest kid..." she stood and held her hand out to me. I accepted and stood with her help. I looked down at myself. Without my green Hero tunic to wear, I had worn old clothing, without the waistband. Just a plain tunic and breeches. My adventuring had worn me thin, my clothing was baggy and loose on me, and the pants kept sliding down a little so the hems would meet the tops of my boots. Not that I minded the covering, it just bothered me that my belt didn't fit either. Really, all my clothing was a bother...

"Should take it off if you don't like it." a woman next to Sukrabella snickered.

Sukrabella grinned but clamped her hand on the woman's shoulder. "Keep giving him ideas like that and Ganon will skin you Izaelle. Master Link, pay no mind to her, she's just pestering you a bit. She means no harm. At least not to you. She may be suicidal though, making coments like that, honestly Iz!"

Izaelle laughed, her green eyes sparkling. She had green eyes, different from the other girls, as far as I knew. I could remember that, I think.

"Now Master Link." Sukrabella pulled my attention from my thoughts, "At this point, we have to seperate from our mounts. Go get what you need from Epona, make sure what you get will last about three to four days. And don't worry, you'll see her again. She just has to go a different route than us. Horses can't take the high road."

I had to leave Epona? I turned to look at my horse, it was eating food from some woman's hand. I did not like leaving her, but many times before I had had to go somewhere where she could not. She would understand, she always did.

"Don't worry Master Link." Izaelle's voice chimed in behind my thoughts, "My sister Nayella and I are the ones taking her to the village with the other horses. I promise that she'll be as safe as possible with us handlin' her." she saluted me, "We love the horses, we take good care of them!" I nodded.

Stepping over to Epona I touched her nose, she sniffed my hand questioningly. I looked into her eyes, _medicine for my hands_.

Her ears flicked and she understood, _do you know that we had to part?_

_Yes, I do,_ I sighed softly.

She butted her head against my chest, _will miss you_.

I hugged her neck gently, _promise to see you again. Always promise. Will stay safe to see you again._

She snorted. _So far, always promise always true. But today is different._ Her ears flicked again as she looked over at the women, rustling through their own saddlebags for what they would need. _Females here are not the same. Land here different. Even sun is different. Brighter. Hotter._

_Always promise_. I insisted, looking into her eyes. _Always promise. Always true. No females, no land, no sun, no. . . no man can change always promise._

She whinnied softly. _Be careful. Land is not same, you are not destined hero. You are just man here._

I didn't quite understand what she meant, but I nodded, _of course. Always promise, Epona. __Always love._

She snorted, nudging me to the bags, _now get things for time away. _

I patted her shoulder and opened a bag, pulling out what I would need for my days away.

We, the eight women and I, left before the horse group did. I could feel Epona's brown eyes watching my back as we left, walking along the crest of a dune in the late afternoon. Sukrabella took her place before me again, occaisionally glancing back at me to see if I was okay.

I finished my inspection of her, as she was the only thing to look at for several meters. She wore these amazing little shoes, they clung to her feet and ankles, coming out from under her billowy pants. I was a little jealous of those shoes, somehow my boots had acquired sand in them, but I was sure that her shoes had not. The only addition to her now was a pack on her back, one identical to all the other women in the group. She had remembered to bring me a spare, just in case, which I wore slung over one shoulder and held clothing, food and water. It reminded me of the of the mastersword, the way it hung on my back...

But I tolerated it, for it was mearly cloth and not a weapon of death.

* * *

By the time we reached the cliffs, my body was stiff and hot and sore. I had fallen countless times, sand gritted against my feet at every step, and I was running low on water. Not only that, but the bandages I had recieved had sand in them now and chaffed my arms and hands. Still, I pressed on, I had to. There was no other choice at this point...

When we began to climb the rocks, the sun was in the position of late afternoon. I paid little attention to that burning orb, but I noted that often Sukrabella would pause and look at the horizon. As time had never meant anything to me before, I ignored the action. Thus I was surprised when I pulled myself up onto a landing and saw Sukrabella waiting for me. Helping me up with a pull on my arm she said, "The sun is setting, Master Link, and we need to rest for the night." She gestured to a cave behind her, in the rock wall, facing the sun's decent. "We've camped here before, it is a fine cave. Now come, get out of the sun."

She led me inside, where the other women were attending to their respective duties. One arranged a pile of wood for a fire, another lay out bed rolls next to each other around the fire, a third began setting up for dinner. Sukrabella knelt by he bags and bade me sit beside her. "We must remove the bandages from your hands and arms and then you can go to the back of the cave to bathe."

_Bathe?_ I looked at her incredulously.

"Yes, Master Link." She smiled and chuckled, "Bathe. In the back there is a seperate pool marked for bathing. There are natural springs in this cave, one of the reasons we use it. And since you are the guest, the only male and do not belong to any of us here, you must bathe first, and alone." she quickly removed the dirty bandages as she spoke.

_Do not belong to anyone?_ My fingers flexed after she removed the cloth, they felt much better.

Sukrabella smiled mysteriously, "You belong to someone else. Remember? Now up, Master Link! You must hurry, for you are not the only one who wishes to bathe and we cannot until you do!" she helped me up.

"Mother." the woman at the now crackling fire held out a burning torch.

"Thank you." Sukrabella took the torch and my arm and led me to the back of the cave. "Now, Master Link, I am right to assume you can bathe yourself?"

I blushed and nodded.

The back of the cave was cool and damp, the torchlight flickered off of the smooth walls and the pools of water. The effect took my breath away, the shimmering rock glittering and laughing with light. Sukrabella set the torch in a small hole in the ground. Pointing to the pond next to it she said softly, "This one drains somewhere else, not into those other ponds over there, but it draws from them. Mind you, it's cold and deep, but you should be fine. Nothing lives in this one, because people bathe in it. You'll be fine, just holler if you need us." And she left me alone in the darkness.

Ecstatic, I pulled off my clothing (AN: sorry, that last little bit just cracks me up... lol) and dipped into the pool. The absolute change from my gritty, sweaty, hot clothing to this cool, clear liquid acted like a salve to my damaged witts, body and spirit. Closing my eyes I took a breath and ducked under, letting the water fill my ears and soak my hair. I could feel the sand bits slowly sift out of my hair and disperse into the water.

Popping back up, I took a deep breath and began to rub the sand from my body. When I finally finished I pulled myself out of the water and shook out my hair. The air was cold against my wet skin so I quickly dressed and picked the torch up. Gathering my clothes with my other hand, I walked back down the cave, my bare feet brushing against the dusty rock with a soft scraping noise.

Sukrabella looked up at me, "Ah, there you are. Come, Gabriella has fixed dinner." She stood and took the torch from me, replacing it with a bowl of steaming stew. She also took my clothes and boots, ushering me to sit and eat.

I did so, being ravenous from the day. The food was hot, and I burnt my tongue, but hey, its food! Good food!

A woman across the fire from me chuckled at me, "Thank you." Her voice was lower than the other women, she looked older too, and had an odd shapped scar on her cheek. It looked like a half circle, or perhaps a heel of the hand. But it was deeper on the curved side, like it had dug into her flesh...

Her long brown fingers went to her cheek, "This thing? A sign. Says that this old desert cat is one hell of a fighter." Her fingers were scared with battle too, and there were wrinkles at her eyes and mouth. She was older, much older, than many of the women here...

"Age and experience, boy." she grinned at me. "Now eat up that soup and get some rest, tomorrow will be longer."

I nodded and she refilled my bowl. After a third bowl, Sukrabella returned to my side, "Master Link, are you done?" I shook my head a little and looked plantively at her, I was dead thirsty. She smiled and gave me some water and then took me to a bed roll with my boots beside it. Yawning, I lay down in the covers and looked up at her, smiling a little.

"Goodnight, Master Link." she patted my head and walked away. I closed my eyes and turned to be on my side and slowly drifted alseep.

* * *

In the middle of the night, a noise awoke me from my sleep. I lay with my eyes closed, my body tense, waiting, listening. Again it came, a heavy footstep, the crunch of metal on stone. I couldn't remember where I was. I couldn't remember how I had gotten there. I couldn't remember why I was so unguarded!

My hand slid under the covers to search for the Master Sword that had never left my side. Had I been drugged? Had I been knocked out again? Where is my sword?

The voice spoke softly, the words muddled and too heavily accented for me to decipher. I opened my eyes slightly, seeing dark shapes blocking the horizon and cast shadows on the walls from the embers beside me. The footstep stopped beside my bed and I froze, my hand on the only thing I could find, my belt. There was laughter, soft and evil, and a smell that nearly made me loose my stomach. Nearly.

"So this ish wot thur gurdin'. A sand-'aired mare." I felt the man kneel beside my bed and rip the bedroll open. In the same instant, I reacted.

* * *

snicker...

told ya

NO FLAMES, protect the little animals in your forests! They need homes too!  
don't worry, I'm already working on the next one, i just had to end this one somewhere good so it wouldn't get boring!


	4. Link's Agony!

**Disclaimer:** No, I don't own Link. I do own the names of all the "ella"s bytheway, so no eatting! Grrr...

**AN:** all I have to say is, boy this one has a funny ending! Hah!

**

* * *

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**Chapter FOUR: Link's Agony!**

My hands holding the toughened leather tightly, I rolled to my knees and then again around the burly man. He was huge, enormous even, and I practically had to climb up his side. Once on his back, I wrapped the belt around his fat neck and pulled back, rearing him to his feet and crossing my wrists to keep the belt from slipping.

He staggered back, his hands reaching for me, beating at me, but I grimly held on. This struggle would not have been so long if my sword was not stolen, but as it was, I had to make due with this. He clawed at his own neck, I smelled his freshly spilt blood as he stumbled forward. Down on one knee and then another, he fell onto his face over the bed roll I had occupied. I looked up across the burning embers, to see another looming figure.

Drawing the long curved blade from the now-dead man's back, I lunged across the orange glow and raised the weapon. He turned to see me, startled, but brought his own swords out to catch mine. He was faster than I expected, his quick foot work edging me back towards the fire. But I snaked my blade in around his side and slid the curved metal along his arm. At the cost of my free arm.

His second weapon slammed down on my arm, a bloody crunch that blackened my gaze even more than the night had. I faltered, my feet taking me backwards as I felt the unbelievable pain shoot through my system. My foot slipped on bloodied sand and I fell backwards, into the live embers.

Oh goddesses above... the _agony_.

Burning right through my clothes. Searing my pale skin. Sizzling my golden-brown hair. Scorching my arm, my wounded, wounded arm. Bubbling with my blood. The scream I heard could not have been mine, it was too loud, too high... too frightened...

I wanted to push myself up out of the pain, my palms burning as I pressed them against the embers. The crackle of my flesh was horror to my ears.

I couldn't see anything. I couldn't hear anything. I couldn't feel anything... nothing but the burning all over my back and arms. Nothing but the fire that ate at my flesh.

Then suddenly, like a heaven-sent arrow, water doused me and the firepit. The steam rose around me as several hands pulled me out of the pain and turned me onto my stomach. The immediate pain lessoned, I drifted in and out of consciousnesss, hearing words and feeling hands and cool clothes. It hurt so bad... I never had felt pain like this... It was completely unbelievable...

* * *

When I awoke, the light was coming in from the cave entrance, and falling in my eyes. My arms hurt as I shifted, wanting to get up off my chest... I couldn't remember something important, something really, _really_ important.

Suddenly Sukrabella crouched in front of me, "Master Link, don't try to move... it's not time yet."

I looke up at her, utterly confused and lost, _what happened? Sukrabella, why am I in so much pain?_

She looked sadder then as she whispered, "You don't remember? You awoke in the middle of the night as we were being raided. You killed one of the men with your belt and disabled the other with a scimitar..."

My hand curled into a fist involuntarily, I had killed again?

"Shh, it's alright." Sukrabella took my hand in hers hand opened it up. "You fell into the fire pit and burned your back and amrs...You even tried to push yourself up but ... well... you just got burns on your palms too..." She sighed, "We bandaged you up, but we need to get you to the fortress for proper healing."

"Master Ganon will have our heads for this..." Gabrielle muttered from somewehre above me. "Damn bandits."

"That's why we're keeping them Gabri," Sukrabella snapped as she stood, "So he'll meddled with them and not us! It's their fault Master Link is injured, not ours."

"Bah, one of us should have been on first guard, Suki. Not one of the new kids. Otherwise this would not have happened!"

"It could have been worse!" Sukrabella shouted, "They could have killed Kinella or Kirusella instead of just knock them out! Hell, they could have killed us all and then runned off with Master Link!"

"Mother," another voice said, someone I did not recognize, "He fought like a Posessed, there is no way he would have been kidnapped."

Sukrabella was quiet for a moment before saying icily, "We will no longer talk about Master Link like that. It is his wish to stop shedding blood. Wether or not the other deserves it. If any of you breath word of this, there could be trouble. And I _will not_ take the blame when Ganon finds out that someone's mouth told the wrong person that his beloved Link is a skilled fighter and got him involved in some stupid battle. You know men are like that, they like to fight to see who's best! It is our duty to make sure that Master Link's wish is fullfilled. It is _our duty_ to make sure that Ganon's promise to Master Link is kept. Or else it will be our duty to recieve the concequenses of our actions." I heard and partially saw her turn. "Do you all understand me?"

A scatterings of "yes, Mother" came from around the cave.

I pushed myself up on my arms and gasped in pain at the pulling of my skin. It felt tight on my back and neck, like stretched leather on a tanning board. I looked at her, _are we going to go?_

Surprised she knelt down beside me, "Go? Are you ready to go?"

I nodded weakly. _Epona, I have to meet up with Epona and fulfill my promise. We should go then._ I pulled myself up to my knees, agony making me wince as I did so.

Sukrabella helped me up, talking as she did, "Your arm is severely injured, we're going to put it in a sling now, so just hold it up and wait a moment." One of the other girls handed her the sling and she carefully put it on me. Brushing sand from my clothes and hair she sighed, "I don't want to go, but if you insist, we'll go. Girls!" she turned around, the girls bustling around the makeshift camp as they collected their things.

Reaching for my bag, a girl took it before I could get it and said, smiling, "Oh, no Master Link. Mother says that you don't get to carry the bag. You're back hurts enough already. So I'm carrying it!"

_Who are you?_ She had big round black eyes and a bright smile with a dimple on her left cheek. Her black hair was pulled into two pigtails high on her head and wrapped in a pink cloth.

"My name is Yutella. Yuta for short."

I nodded slightly, my neck hurt…

"Okay kids," Sukrabella stood at the mouth of the cave. "Yuta, you're on Link duty. Gabri, you've got our backs. Hanra, you're on scout. Numi, you're point. Temta, Kiru and Kinel, you three are on guard duty, watch those bastards, alright? I'll be on cloud."

I glanced at Yuta, _Link duty?_

"Your name is Link, t,ain't it?" she grinned at me. "C'mon we're in the mid, so lets get in form!" she led me from the cave mouth, out onto the landing and into the sun. "Alright, lets get a goin'." She laughed and headed up.

What was tiresome before was agony now. I could hardly pull myself up with my burned, but bandaged, hands and my wounded arm was completely unusable. Yuta had to pull me up a lot, but she was surprisingly strong for her petite size and she just grinned all the time she did.

* * *

About mid-day the group stopped for a quick rest and a meal, I could hardly move after I sat on the ground.

Sweat slicked my body, my hair dripped as I hung my head, and the dull ache of my skin and arm just seemed natural now. If horrible and awful and nasty too.

"Oi, Master Link," Yuta whispered, kneeling before me and lifting my face. "here you go, drink this up." She lifted a cup to my lips, the liquid curing the rasping breath from my scratched throat.

_Blessed Goddesses, this is heavenly..._ I drained the cup and she filled it again.

Winking she said, "Mother spelled it special for you, got some o' her healin' to help with your nasty burns." She drank from her own cup. "Mines just a bit o' water."

I nodded, ever grateful.

The brake did not last long as Sukrabella, or 'Mother' as the others called her, broke camp and herded us on our way. She stood forbiddingly over us, perched higher on the cliffs as she watched our party.

* * *

As the sun began to set, we stopped again for a quick waterbreak next to a small pool of water. Sukrabella spelled my drink again, and smiled as she gave it to me. For the first time, I looked at the prisoners. Their heavy build from before had been almost entirely armor and now I saw them as lean tan men with long beards and what I assumed to be traditional desert wear. One or two looked at me in fear, they knew that I could kill. They knew I could kill well.

I looked away from their frightened faces, feeling mightly discouraged. What was I supposed to do with people who saw me like that? One or two of the girls had stared at me too, were they frightened of me?

I had killed that man with my _belt_ just after waking from a deep sleep. I nearly killed another with only one weapon to his two, and a weapon I'd never even held before... I felt sick to my stomach. Blood, so much blood. All over my hands... and the souls of the dead. Their screams in my ears...

Curling over as I sat on a rock I covered my ears with my hands and squeezed my eyes shut. Right there, haunting me, just behind us... their angry ghosts...Poes as I had so recklessly called them... The blood on my hands drew them after me. Poes cursing me under their breath...

"Master Link!" Yuta shook my arm, kneeling beside me. "Master Link, we're going now..." She helped me up gently, looking concerned as I turned to go. "We'll get there soon Master Link. Mother's taking the fastest route she knows."

I nodded aimlessly, too bothered to really care what she said. She led me up the path in the middle of our group. Kindly she did not ask me what was wrong, though I could tell she wanted to know...

And thats when I heard them laughing.

Stopping suddenly, I half turned and looked down the path, cast in the darkening shadow of the high cliff walls. There, right _there_ they were. Coming for me. Coming for me! Their ethereal forms floated up over the half of the group behind us. They lagged behind, not coming straight for me like I knew they should.

Yuta had come back to my side, looking down the path. Her eyes went wide as she saw the ghosts. She quickly looked around calling, "Mother! Mother!"

Sukrabella replied from above us, "Coming Yuta!" The older woman dropped down on our right side, "What is it?"

I stared up from where she came from. _Poes..._ Their laughter was loud. Growing louder. Louder like thunder. Louder like a crumbling castle. Louder like a _rockslide_.

Yuta screamed, "ROCKSLIDE!" and jumped away like a mountain goat.

I was frozen to my spot. Sukrabella pulled on my arm, "Link!"

I couldn't move. _DeathDeathDeath_. It came like this?

_No!_ I resisted the woman, _get yourself to safty!_ I tried to push her away but she would not budge either. I turned back to the rocks. I could not move fast enough in my current state to get away from this death sentence. Gritting my teeth I braced myself. _Rocks will not kill me. They never have, they never will. I have a promise to keep. I have a duty to accomplish. I have another death waiting for me elsewhere! _

"You're crazy, Hero boy." Sukrabella muttered as the rocks descend upon us.

All I could do was grin.

* * *

All I could do was defy gravity.

During the fall, Sukrabella had been knocked to the ground, where she curled instantly into a little ball at my feet. Bending over her, I sheilded her with my body, getting my strength from the knowledge she needed me to protect her.

That was how this slab slid onto my back, and as I held it, I felt like I was the ancestor of the gorons, Goronia, who held the center of the world on his back so that it would remain centered. Blisters on my back had popped from the pressure, adding to my pain as I held the rock. Sweat dripped down my neck and face. Sweat drenched my shirt. Sweat darkened my pants. I trembled under the weight but held. I was not alone here. Sukrabella needed me to hold this weight.

The woman stirred, a cut on her forehead drippin a little blood as she sat up. She looked at me, fingers to her cut as she stared at me in disbelief.

"You're crazy, Hero boy." she whispered, "Ganon was right about you." Slowly getting to her feet she crouched over, "So I guess it wasn't all fancy about you, you really do protect for your life, hmm?" she put her upper back to the rock. She braced her hands on the rock. "Now, boy, see where Ganon got his strength." She grinned and grunted, straightening her legs and back.

I gaped for a moment, and then did likewise. Amazingly, we pushed the rock up. Dust crept in as we did, but so did fingers of flickering light.

Holding the rock up with Sukrabella, I was stunned at her composure and strength. I smiled a little to myself, correcting an earlier thought. No, Sukrabella did not need protection...

Hands picked curled around the rock on one side, lifting it up, and easing our burdens. The women stood a half circle around us, to Sukrabella's back, and grinned. The prisoners, (whom they had enlisted help from) stood in awe as they saw us.

"Mother!" cried several of the girls as they held the rock up.

"Right," she replied, "Master Link, let go and climb up. You're our priority, so scoot!"

I nodded and dipped down, some of the women strained as I left, but they held. Yuta helped me from the small hole, dusting me off and apologizing for running away.

I stopped her by putting my hands on her shoulders and smiling into her face. _Yutella, I am so glad you are safe._

For some reason, tears came to her eyes and she sniffed. "Right..." she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand and led me down from the rocks. "Well, we got to get down here where the camp is... Mother will be right out. Oh, watch yourstep, the rocks aren't all steady."

A rattling crash stopped me as I twisted to see the girls heave the rock back and cheer as they pulled Sukrabella out. She winked at me as they fussed over her and I smiled. Good, she was safe too.

Turning back to Yuta, I stepped out. The rock under my foot slid out and I lost my footing. Slipping down the mound's side, I twisted my ankle severely in the process. Yuta sprang to my side, "Master Link!"

The pounding from my ankle was _insane_. Could an injury really hurt _that much?_ I took a deep breath, trying to gain control of myself. My vision was full of dots and the edges were getting black. The last thing I remember seeing was Yuta's worried expression as she called my name, her lips working silently.

My heart pounded in my ears as I closed my eyes and dropped into blackness. That was painful!

Sukrabella, and the others, stood, staring at Yuta and the collapsed Link in confusion. "Yutella, what just happened!"

Yuta looked up at Sukrabella, confused at whether she should laugh or sigh. "Mother, he... he slipped and twisted his ankle. He blacked out from the pain."

Gabriella spoke first, "Burns, rocks, an arm injury... and he blacks out from a twisted ankle?"

"Ganon's gonna pitch a fit, but it sure is funny!" she laughed as she came down to Yuta's side. "Don't worry girl, he'll be fine, probably exhausted is all."

Yuta giggled, "Silly thing, gone from a twisted ankle!"

* * *

Really, I couldn't resist. But seriously, twisting your ankle _HURTS_! Omg, it does, I did it to both of my ankles two years ago! Such agony...

Anyway... R&R!

Don't give flames! You'll burn Link's precious skin!


	5. Cursed Angel

Disclaimer: I don't own them, any (well, 'cept the ones I do own.)

AN: aww Linky ish cute! And sorry is short! Kindof a filler/plot mover….

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Chapter Five: Cursed Angel

When I awoke next, a shadow crossed my face, and I wearily opened my eyes. I lay on my back, supported at the head and foot of a stretcher, I assumed. I ached in general, my left ankle and arm especially so, and had trouble focusing on anything.

I stopped moving after a bit, and felt my bearers shift as they held me. There was a voice, fogged but discernable as Sukrabella.

"Son, I can explain..." She stopped suddenly and I turned my head to see.

I had thought her as tall, and she was, for a woman...but her son still dwarfed her. Thicker in body and limbs, yet tall, his bright red-orange hair reminded me of a tree in early autumn. He held up a hand to her, gesturing her aside as he stepped to me. His shadow descended over me, his bright eyes staring down at me.

He glanced up, "Sukra, these men are responsible for the attack?"

"Yes."

He looked back at me, "And the woman in charge of him?"

"It was I, Yutella, sir." She said from on my other side.

I could not look away from Ganondorf. I was helpless here, laying on my back, drugged to much to move... He would torture me. He would kill me. He could do _anything_ he wanted to me... and I could not save myself.

His looming figure crept in through my courage, slipping in the back door of my thoughts. His looming was ominous, forboding and scared the hell out of me. And I could not get away. I could not defend myself.

I flinched as his hand came out and touched my cheek. My breath hitched as he brushed my hair from my forehead. "I will ...speak to you later, Yutella."

"Aye sir." I vaugely heard her say.

I half-whimpered in pain as he lifted me in his tree-trunk arms and held me against his chest, as if I were his precious bride. This gentleness seemed so out of character for him, and, somehow, it scared me more than if he had struck me down. What could he possibly want to treat me like this? I was already his, what formality could this be?

I felt his breath across my forehead as his head dipped down and he whispered to me, "My poor Link..."

I closed my eyes and leaned against his arm, as it was easier than trying to move my head away. It also hide the confused blush on my cheeks as my bangs fell over my cheeks. He turned then, walking away from the group.

My heart thumped in pain, this was it... this was my end...

Or was it?

-------------

Into a building, into shade, then left and right and left and right, finally we reach a door. The door leads to stairs downwards, and then more turns. Finally, in the cool darkness of a room, he lays me on a bed. Quietly, Ganondorf spoke to me, "This is the infirmary. You will stay here for a while until you heal enough to go to the rooms I have prepared for you."

The cloth was cold against my cheek, and in the darkness, I strangely felt safe. As if, here in the darkness, he could not see me… if I could not see him. But then, a door opened on the opposite side of the room and shuffling footsteps brought a person to us. They had a hunched back, were dressed in a long robe with a hood, and held a lantern up with their boney hand. "Boy." The old woman cackled, "Did you finally bring your little cake home? Desi has been awaiting him since you told her about his precious sapphires and soft gold...Oh yes, Desi is hopefull for you."

"Desi, he's injured." Ganondorf muttered. "I left Mother in charge of him and she got him hurt!" He sounded whiny like a child as he spoke.

The golden light fell over me as she looked at me. "Aye, Desi sees. Even his gold is a little burnt, hm?" she reached out a hand and touched my burned hair. "A pity. A pity. Desi will go get her ointments? Yes, yes." the woman set the lantern on the small table beside the bed and shuffled off again.

I looked up into Ganondorf's face. It was half hidden in the dark, but I could see that he was upset. _But why? Because I was injured?_

"Yes." He murmured, his hand reaching for my cheek again, "I hate it that you had to fight when it was you sole wish to stop the bloodshed of others." he drew his hand back and made a fist. "I should have brought you here myself!"

_It was okay, I knew that the shift from my old life to this one would not be smooth. It could have been much worse._

"I promised you though." he sighed, "I try hard to keep my promises, some of them are quite... difficult."

He gave me an odd look then, like his eyes saw something of me that others did not look for. I found myself blushing and I looked away. Having him look at me like that made my stomach turn in knots...

"Ah ah! Boy! Don't you touch your cake in Desi's rooms! Not even if it is the first bed you two have found! No no no! Desi will not clean _that_ up!" the old woman returned with a tray with a cloth, bowl and other random items on it. She set the tray beside me on the bed and shooed the, _(blushing?),_ Ganondorf away. "Desi'll let you help her undress the pretty thing _this time_ but another time Desi will not!"

Ganondorf cleared his throat, "Thank you Desi."

The woman grinned and cackled, dipping a cloth in the bowl. "Alrighty then, boy, hurry up and strip him, Desi got to fix him up!"

Oh goddesses, was that a weird experience...

----------

After Desi had gone (again) and I lay on the bed, changed into clean bandages and clothes, Ganondorf stood over me, with a bemused expression. I could not help the feeling like he was looking at my body _through_ my clothes as I stared hard at the darkness across the room. I felt vulnerable to him, in a way I never had before. Not to anyone.

I didn't know what to say, how to react... he had seen every inch of my naked body! He had seen all my scars... all my muscles... all my body parts... Thinking about it made me blush furiously, I felt kind of violated. He had touched my back, my thigh, my stomach! I could still feel those large hands touching me...

His chuckle brought me from my thoughts. "Don't think so hard on it... you should be resting."

I did not look at him. I could not.

I felt his knuckles on my cheek bone. They curved down my skin to my chin, where he tapped it with his fore finger and then slid the tip down the underside of my chin to my neck. His hands had been the same sort of exploratory curiosity when they had touched my leg... I lifted my right hand and pushed his away. _Don't, please don't_. I conveyed my message with a brief look before turning away.

He obliged, pulling his hand away. "Maybe someday, hmm?" he chuckled lightly. It was a softer noise than I expected, gentle like his touches... _someday for what?_

He laughed a little louder. "Someday for sure. Not now... ah, well, I do have business to attend to. Rest well my little hero..."

He turned away and walked from the room.

I swallowed dryly. _Someday? What would happen? What was he talking about?_

I hate people riddles...

Desi came in later, feeding me something, and then she left again, cackling. I realized I was drugged only _after_ I began to feel hazy and muddled. Soon, sleep over took me and dropped me into blackness…

--dream sequence--

_**There, over there! They are coming! Can't you hear their moans?**_

_Calm, they are still far yet…_

_**We should get out of here! It's not safe, we'll all die here. They'll kill us!**_

_Relax, relax, we'll be alright…_

_**It's no use! We are doomed.**_

_Shush, just calm. Hide here. Hide here in my arms. I will protect you._

_**Death. Death! They are death to me! The thirst for my marrow! They seek my soul! **_

_Shhh, here in my arms you will be safe, here I will protect you. Forever._

_**Look at their eyes, they are just empty sockets! They are floating bones! The scythe, the scythe is going to rend my soul apart! They will find me wherever I hide! Their blood calls to them from my hands! Don't you see? Don't you understand? They are here for me! My blood is what they wish to drink! **_

_I will not let them hurt you. I will protect you. I promise. I promise you will be safe here with me. I promise._

_**But they…**_

_Shhhh, rest… calm. You are safe here…_

--end of DS--

Ganon held Link tightly in his arms as the trembling ex-Hero slipped back into deep sleep. He wiped away the tears from Link's cheeks with one hand as he held him close. His yellow eyes closed as he sighed. Hell, Link had been through Hell and the Hyrulians had guilted him into it… He did everything for that cursed princess… everything.

He allowed himself to lower his head down and press his lips to Link's forehead. Oh did he hope that he could keep those promises of safety… Oh did he hope that never again would Link have to fear like that.

"Is… Is them demons gone from him?" Desi whispered from her doorway, lantern in one hand and a rosary clutched in the other. "Is them gone?"

"For now." Ganon murmured, "But they still claw at his soul…"

"Should see a priestess not a doctor, that one. When will you take him out? Demons are bad _bad_ luck…" Desi cowered in the darkness.

Ganon looked down at the cursed angel in his arms and sighed. Did Link deserve to be in this darkness like this? He stood; the sheet covered form held close in his arms as he said, "I'll take him out now." Turning, he carried the slim man out and into the sun of the upper levels of his desert fortress.

---------------

okay, everyone feel bad for Link! It seems his life just can't get much worse….

-snicker-

or can it?

No flamies!

Use the fire to light your lantern in the dark!


	6. Poes

So yeah, I have this class at school where I have a computer and the internet- I call it Creative Writing and this beautiful marvelous class lets me post in the middle of the day (as some one might notice) it also gives me ample time to work on my babies!

I heart babies!

Oh yeah, **DISLCLAIMER**: I know I know, I don't own the Zelda-ites, not a one. Yeah, yeah, tears.

* * *

**Chapter Six: Poes**

When I awoke, it was lighter around me, bright even. And the bed was warm from the sunlight that poured from the window. I sat up, my shoulders aching but not too much for me to move. Sighing, I slipped out of the bed and walked to the window, my bare feet silent on the floor. Leaning against the will I stretched my arms out, winching at the pain. My left shoulder burned with a sharp agony. I held the whimper in my throat and eased my arm back.

Looking out window I watched the compound hum with life. Women walked below, holding goods and chattering as they went their way. On the walks paced women on guard. The stonework outside and in was dark ruddy-brown with a spattering of gold sand. The sky, cloudless and sapphire blue, stretched from horizon to horizon.

A knock sounded at the door. I turned and looked to see who came.

The wood pushed in, letting Ganondorf enter. "Link, how are you feeling?"

Leaning against the window I faced him and gave meager smile. _It hurts, my body hurts…_

Ganondorf sighed and shut the door behind him and came to the window. "I apologize Are you hungry?"

I shook my head, but put my hand on my stomach. _Sweet, I wanted something sweet… like honey of cake…_

Ganondorf looked a little surprised, "something sweet, hmm? He looked out the window and smiled d a little. "I'm sure I can manage something for you…"

_If Epona was there my jar of honey would be here too…_ Sighing I slouched forward a on my arms and put my hand down on my hands. _Honey… my sweet, _sweet_ honey…_

I heard Ganondorf chuckle and say, "I'll get you some honey, alright? You should probably rest now Link. You're still injured…" I turned my head to look at him; his hand came out and touched my shoulder, applying gentle pressure to get me from the window.

I felt embarrassed at his help and pushed his face away as my cheeks flared red. Climbing into the bed, I put my back to him and pulled the covers tight around my shoulders. I pouted; I did not want to lie in my bed when I could be wandering around.

But Ganondorf was the boss of me now, and I had to listen to him… I had surrendered after all…

There was a depression on the bed as he leaned over me, putting a hand to my shoulder and turning me to my back.

"I'm sorry, but I worry… so get better and you can roam freely…"

I looked away, still pouting.

"And I'll get you some honey, alright?"

I glanced up at him. _I'd love some honey…_

He smiled. A soft kind look that constricted my throat and I looked away again.

"Sleep well Link." He lowered his head just a little…

I froze, too shocked to move as he got up and left the room. _Did he just…? Did he really…?_ My hand trembled as I touched my cheek.

His lips. My cheek.

His lips? My cheek?

His _lips_! My _cheek_!

Goddesses above, what did he do _that_ for?

* * *

"Mother!" Ganon trotted over to the woman, who was sharpening her favorite scimitar. 

"Yes m'lord?"

"Honey, he wants honey! Cook doesn't have any. Where do I get it?" Ganon said franticly.

"Honey is quite a fair git. You sure you want to spend that on him?" muttered another woman, older than Sukrabella, but still younger than Desi. "He's just a skinny lout, needs meat. Not sweet."

Ganon took a threatening step toward her, but Sukrabella intervened. "Now Venya, I'll only tell you this once to keep your mouth shut. Master Link gets whatever Lord Ganon says he gets! He says honey? Honey it is!" She leveled her orange gaze at the woman.

Ganon looked appeased at the woman's scolding and asked calmly, "Honey, mother, where can I get some?"

"You could portal somewhere. Or find a 'van and do a little thieving." Sukrabella smirked.

"No…" Ganon shook h his head. "If he finds me thieving for his sweets he'll hate them, me and possibly himself. " He sighed then said in a commanding tone, his face suddenly serious, "Get our two fastest horses and the best three riders we have. I will ride to the Markov 'van. They're passing by at the moment, right?"

Sukrabella nodded. "Aye."

"Get it done." Ganon swirled away.

"'E's loony Sukra…" the woman muttered, "The boy has gone loony cause of that little tart."

Sukrabella stood, sheathing her sword in oiled leather and shaking her head, "Nay, not a tart. Link is as true and pure as the Goddess Kym. Ganon's fallen for the boy."

"Pity... no heir for us to fawn over then?"

Sukrabella smirked and shrugged as she left.

* * *

Later that evening… 

"Master Link?" I called out. The dark shape froze at the sound my voice.

It _was_ him. He stopped, leaned against the wall with one arm and looked over his shoulder at me. _Oh, please don't tell Ganon, he'd be so mad… He told me to stay in bed and I… and I …_

"Hush," I reached his side, gently pulling him off the wall and putting my arm around his shoulders. "Hush, Master Link, I won't say a thing. It's all right, just calm down and tell me what happened."

He gripped my shirt, shaking like a flag in a sand storm, his face white in the darkness. I brushed the bangs from his eyes. I could easily see the problem in his eyes.

_I dreamt… I dreamt about the Poes, coming after me again. Sukrabella, they're coming for me. They want to kill me! _

I stared at him. 'Poes? How did the young man know about _Poes_? They were a ancient term for the restless dead!' I turned his face to my shoulder and held him tightly, letting him shake and moan in fear. "Hush, You'll be alright here. I'm here, Mother is here…"

**-Flashback-**

"_Mother!" _

_The wail called to me through the wall and I ran into the room. What could it be to make my boy scream so? "Ganon?"_

"_Mother! Mother, they're here!" _

"_Ganon?" he hides in a corner, far from windows and doors, his eyes so wide they almost seem to pop from his head. "Ganon, sweetie, what is it?"_

"_Mother, th-they're…th-they're c-c-coming for m-me. Th-they w-want to k-kill me." He clutched to me like I was his only hope for survival. And I was…_

"_What are dear?" I rocked him in my lap, brushing his hair with my hand. _

"_Th-they… they're like g-ghosts b-but they h-have skulls and l-lanterns and s-scythes…Th-they're blue and they… they…" his little eight year old hands clinging to me, until his knuckles are lighter than the rest of his skin. _

"_Hush, you'll be alright, son. I am here. Mother is here…" my body began to shake slightly, seeing Poes? At this age? Venya's prophecie was right then. He was destined for the triforce. If these restless souls were already after him, then it was already happening…I took his hand and peeled it from my arm, looking at the back of his hand. This cursed thing…ancestors upon ancestors of his, each one burned out by this blasted thing. Each one burning out the soul with greed, lust, pride… all the sins, wrapped in this damned thing…_

_I clutched my boy to my chest and wept softly, this thing would be his death…This lust for greed, this pride in his wrath… this…_

"_Mother..." his voice is soft. "Mother, will you protect me from them? Mother please…"_

"_I promise I will protect you my son. I promise."_

**-end flashback-**

"I promise to keep you safe from them, Master Link. I promise to keep you safe from the Poes." My eyes look down at the back of his right hand, the triforce, that damned blasted _thing!_ I covered it with my own hand and squeezed it as we both knelt on the floor. I held him, as I had held my own son, my flesh and blood. And he cried, just like Ganon had, frightened of the eyeless faces of the Poes.

-------TBC

* * *

I hope that this is all good. I mean… eek! Evil poes! Aww, a comparison between Ganny and Link! 

no flames please! they scare little Ganny!


	7. Day Nine

**BTW**: it took Ganon three days to go out to the Caravan and three more to return, so right now we're in the middle of that transaction, about the ninth day since Link's been out on the desert. On the twelfth day, Ganon returns from Markov's 'van.

Disclaimer: i no own Zelda-ites!

* * *

**Chapter Seven:**

**Day Nine**

Markov warily looked out across the dunes, his forehead creased in worry. His large hands held the copper telescope as he watched the riders approach his caravan. The large man worried that they could be a band of Gerudo thieves. He was currently without protection _from_ the Gerudo, and thus could be subject to their raids. Turning in his seat, Markov looked out over the caravan, this year had been ripe with goods, and he would be able to bury half the platinum he made and _still_ be able to retire.

Not that he would. But he _could_ and that alone made him practically bubble with joy.

Markov couldn't help but smile, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of a rich future. He chuckled to himself, patting his stomach and clucking to his steed he pulled in to his caravan to speak to his advisor.

The presence of _the_ Lord Ganondorf brought the entire caravan to a stop and Markov approached with his advisor, Rayel. Rayel looked much like Markov, dark skinned with extravagant clothes and a wide body. However his was not from the fat of his gains, but from the bulk of his muscle. Also, perched upon the bridge of his nose was copper framed glasses that hinted to a hidden brilliance.

Ganondorf looked from one man to the other, "I have one request. A simple one I believe."

Markov smiled genially, "Yes, what is it? We'd be happy to serve your needs." He bobbed his large head and held his hands together in front of his chest.

"Honey. I desire honey from the Eastern lands. It must be from the Eastern lands. I am willing to pay what I must for it." Ganondorf informed them.

"Just Eastern Honey?" Markov blinked in surprise. "Is that all you require my lord?"

"That is what I said, right?" Ganondorf glared down at him. "So get me the Eastern Honey. I know that it is expensive, I am prepared to spend." At his side, Fiella shifted on her horse, it was not so wise to say such a thing, but she was not in the position to tell her master so.

Markov nodded, "Let me go fetch it then, is there as specific amount that you would like?"

"Fifty grams."

The man nodded and turned to caravan, Rayel followed him.

* * *

At the caravan, the two men conversed quickly and quietly.  
"We don't have any Eastern Honey!" Rayel muttered.

"I know we don't but we said we'd give him fifty grams of honey and we will! It just won't be Eastern. Besides, how can he tell the difference? He's a bumbling thief, not some expert on honey. Now pack up fifty grams of that south desert kind, the unlabeled kind, and we'll sell him that!" Markov commanded.

Rayel frowned, "It's not smart to deceive him..."

"Shut up and do it!" Markov hissed, "He is prepared to pay big for honey! We're going to milk him for what he's got, whether or not we have the honey! So you pack this up and I won't have to cut you out of the profit."

"Go ahead and cut me out. If he finds out it's not really Eastern honey, I don't want to be the one to get tortured."

"He _won't_ find out." sneered Markov.

* * *

After paying fifty grams of platinum for the honey, Ganondorf turned them towards home, to get to Link. He missed the blonde's beautiful sapphire eyes and emotional expressions. He hoped that at the fortress his mother could take better care of him than she had on the trip.

Fiella cleared her throat, breaking Ganondorf's concentration. He glanced at the woman, one of the only his age that he respected. "Yes?"

"You paid far too much for the honey. Gram for gram in platinum? Markov did not deserve so much." She frowned.

"Well, Fi, you must realize. I did not buy that honey for the benefit of Markov." Ganondorf smirked. "I bought it for Link, and he deserves only the best."

Fiella shrugged and said nothing more. She still had the feeling they were cheated…

* * *

I stared out the window forlornly. I had healed nicely, but was still captive in my rooms. Until I got the 'all clear' from Ganondorf, I was stuck here. Or that's what Sukrabella said. He had not come around for three days, and I was worried that he had forgotten about me. Or perhaps he was leaving me here to waste away in the room alone.

Either way, I stayed in my rooms alone, day in and day out. I spent a lot of time sleeping and thinking and staring out the window. Occasionally, a girl down below would look up and wave at me, and I would wave back, but no one came to my rooms. It was lonely.

And totally boring…

Lying on my bed again, I rolled this way and that, stretching with my arms to reach either side of the bed at the same time. I couldn't, the bed span was nearly twice my height, and I only reached about half way from one side to the other.

Kicking the blankets and pillows off I rolled from side to side. I was going crazy here in this room… absolutely loosing it…

Getting to my feet I jumped on my bed, laughing a little as I flew into the air. The weightlessness I felt at the peak of my jump was exhilarating. I closed my eyes and continued to jump up and down.

However, soon that became boring too.

I glanced at the door from where I stood on the bed. Ganondorf had not come for three days. _Three whole days!_ Where could the sorcerer be?

_Maybe… I should go look for him!_ I thought with a grin. At this point, I'd use anything as an excuse to escape this room.

* * *

The fourth day since Ganon's departure(day ten for Link in the desert), and Sukrabella found Link wandering around the fortress _again_. "Master Link…" She said, her disappointed and slightly annoyed tone freezing his bare feet to the floor. He looked over his shoulder, pouting like a puppy who knew he had disobeyed the rules. "Master Link, I really didn't think I would have to do this, but I'm going to have to put a guard at the door to the men's wing." She walked up to him, gently tugging on his arm to guide him back to the men's wing.

He hung his head and dragged his feet. _But I_ **_don't_** _**like** staying in my room all day!_ He blinked his bright blue eyes at me.

I sighed, "How about this. You can wander around _inside_ the men's wing. Ganon has his rooms and a library and some spare bedrooms around there. I'm sure that he won't mind if you roam around in there."

He nodded his head and followed me to the wing.

* * *

I looked down the long hallway. _How many rooms are there?_ I went to the nearest door, a darkened and slightly forbidding room. I immediately backed out and shut the door tightly, Ganondorf probably slept there…

I continued down the hall, not seeing anything interesting in any of the bed rooms until I found one that lit up as I opened the door. _How inviting!_ I smiled and walked in, taking a deep breath of the aroma that the candles had lit upon my entrance. Pumpkin? No… Lily? No…

I went through a list in my head, but it was nothing that I had smelled before. Not cheese, milk, vanilla, clear water, winter morning, fall winds, mountain rain or any of those things that were sold as candles scents. But then, maybe Ganondorf made his own candles…

But for a guest room? That was awfully… nice.

I sat on the bed. It was as large as mine, and covered with soft silken fabrics that were gold and red. Flopping on my back I sighed in contentment, why couldn't Ganondorf had given me _this_ room? It was so much more vibrant than my own… and the candles were a nice touch…

It became harder and harder for me to keep my eyes open and I yawned loudly. Climbing into the covers of my bed, I snuggled up to the pillow, might as well sleep here…I was too tired to go anywhere else anyway…

* * *

Sukrabella looked in all of the rooms of the wing to find Link. Well, all but Ganon's suite. She doubted that the young man would go into any of these dark rooms, and wasn't surprised to see that his room was empty. However, she had thought he might be asleep on the balcony at the end of the hall, or perhaps lost in Ganon's magicked library.

Finally, she stood outside her son's door. Link wouldn't go in here…

Would he?

The room was _obviously_ Ganon's…

Wasn't it?

She opened the door, only the candle beside the door lit and her eyes went wide. When that lone candle lit that meant that… Her orange eyes darted to the bed and saw the lithe form curled up on one side of the enormous bed.

Asleep in Ganon's room.

Well, of course he would be. It was the most interesting and safe looking room in the wing! Sukrabella grinned and backed out. Ganon wouldn't be to upset to know that Link was in his bed…

He'd probably be thrilled that the little blonde hero had taken such a liking to the room…

* * *

Thanks to:  
Devil's Backbone, LeneeTheSunsetAngel, Vampirezdarkgurl, FFlove190, JtheChosen1, KitsuneyJenfner, and all others for reading and reviewing! I hope you like this chapter! i had to cut it in half otherwise it would have gotten pretty boring! heh

remember what fires do? they KILL people! and hurt Link!

Link: -tears in eyes- _noooo, I dun wanna be hurted!_

See? dont make Link cry, Ganon will come beat you up!

heh

Reviews make me write faster!


	8. Waiting

Disclaimer: I no own!

No lemonyness yet! some more frustrated fluff! and some more stuff... -snicker- Yeah, yeah, I know this one is really quick right after the last one... but, omg, you'll see why i had to write it at the end. xD

* * *

**Waiting **

When I awoke, there was a stream of light coming from the window above the bed. It was a ruddy-gold, though, not the bright light of the morning sun… I sat up, the candles were out, and that odd smell had faded over the night.

Yawning, I slipped from the bed and curled my toes around the thick furred rug I had not noticed the night before. I crouched down. I didn't recognize the animal it had come from. The pelt was striped, white on dark brown. There was neither head nor paws attached and nothing anywhere in the room to give light to the animal's species. I ran a hand over the soft, thick fur and smiled. How pleasant it was to the touch…

I straightened up, stretching my arms above my head, my ribs ached and I winced. That's when my eye caught on the paler clothing folded neatly on the end of the bed. It stood out against the dark colors of the bedding and, being curious, I went over to inspect it. It was my size, I saw as I held it against my chest, and they were of a slightly softer material than what I wore currently. And they were clean.

I stripped down and lay my old clothes on the floor, carefully checking my bandages for anything wrong. They were okay, so I continued in changing into the clothes. A cream colored vest over a sheer short sleeved shirt over light brown billowing pants, completed with a dark brown sash over the tunic at the waist and I admired myself in the mirror on the wall. A comb on the dresser fit easily in my hand as I ran it through my hair and smiled. I looked pretty good, for a prisoner.

The sun had nearly set now, the light it gave through the window steadily getting darker. A couple of the candles lit up, making my head feel a little fuzzy. I had just gotten up, right? _Why do I feel so sleepy?_

Yawning, I walked to the bed and began to crawl onto it. Tugging off my sash I slipped back under the covers and cuddled one of the gigantic pillows against my chest as I pressed my cheek to it. Such a wonderfully comfortable pillow…

* * *

As Ganon returned from his trip, (day twelve), he came straight to me. "Mother." 

I put my hand up. "You need to rest my son, you have gone six days out in the desert. Leave the goods with me and return to your room and sleep." I propelled him towards the main building, taking his horse's reigns. "Go, go, and rest my son. You can see your little cake in the morning."

There was a chorus of giggles around me and Ganon muttered, "You have been talking to Desi…"

"Go on! Go on!" I ushered with a wave of my hand.

"Alright!" he put his hands in the air as he walked inside.

The giggling around me didn't stop.

Fiella glanced towards me, "Mother? What is it?"

Leaning over to her I winked and grinned, "Master Link's asleep in my son's bed."

Fiella grinned too.

* * *

Reaching my rooms, I entered through my bathroom, to wash the sand and dust from my body. I was tense, I had been for several days now, and needed a good night's rest. I _had_ gotten a few hours here and there of rest over six days and … 

Standing in the doorway between my bedroom and my bathroom I noticed the very few candles lit. Only three were lit, the strategically placed ones at the doorways and beside the bed. The heavy scent of hot hay had filled the room and I nearly gagged on it. I had magicked these candles myself! They should produce the scent of jasmine at my very presence!

My eyes fell upon the stirring form in my bed. Golden locks spilled out on my red pillow like sand over a dark rock. Slim shoulders under my red lined gold sheets. The soft murmur of a sigh from the lips I could not see.

I swallowed heavily, stepping into the room. Is this why mother ushered me off to bed? In little more than a loin cloth (really just some loose pants to cover me) I walked to my bed. It was really him.

He was in my bed.

Sleeping there…

Like a perfect, golden angel…

The next breath I took was full of jasmine as the candles shifted to appease me. I swallowed and tentatively reached out to touch his shoulder, to feel him really there under my hand…

But I hesitated just before contact.

Would he wake at my touch?

Would he fear me if he woke up here and realized what he had done? Realized what I wanted to do?

Would he continue to sleep, thus inviting me to dream of his perfection and his innocence and lay beside him?

Would his blue-blue eyes scream in terror at my presence so close to him when he is so vulnerable?

Oh damn it all, why do I care? I'm a desert lord! I could get anyone and anything I wanted!

Walking to the other side of the bed, I drew the covers down and slid in, carefully so as to not wake him. Putting my hand under his cheek, slowly, I slid the pillow out from his grasp and replaced it with my own chest. His slim hand and arm curved around my body and he snuggled against my bare skin. I smiled and pulled the covers up around us and closed my eyes. I let the jasmine soothe me into sleep as I grinned at the thought: _this is the first time we've spent in the same bed…_

* * *

**Day thirteen**

When I awoke, my pillow was firmer, warmer and smoother than I recalled from the night before. I blinked and rubbed my eyes, sitting up a little in the early morning light. I looked down at my pillow and nearly swallowed my tongue. Not like it would have mattered anyway as I could not speak anyway.

Ganondorf, all dark skin, orange hair and bright eyes looked up at me. He pushed himself up with an elbow and said, "Good morning."

I don't know what came over me, but I scrambled backwards out of the bed. My head full of fear and my heart in my stomach. Tears sprung to my eyes as I ran for the door; _goddesses save me, he's going to kill me!_

But he was nearly as fast as me and grabbed my arm as I tore out of the room. Shutting the door he pressed my back against it, sliding me up until we met eye to eye. (Of course this meant that I was a good two feet off the floor…)

I swallowed, my heart erratically pounding in my chest and looked into his eyes. Was he going to kill me swiftly now? Or torture me first?

"Link, I'm not going to kill you."

_I don't believe you._

"On my word, I will not kill you. I will not hurt you either."

_Like I can trust your word!_

"Listen to me Link!" He shook me a little, jerking my head back and fourth again and hitting it against the door. It brought unwanted tears to my eyes as I stared at him in growing fear.

_**That**__ hurt._

He closed his eyes and sighed, bowing his head as he let me slide down to the floor. "I'm sorry. I just get… frustrated." (AN: yeah, sexually frustrated xD)

_You scare me_. I pushed his hands from my shoulders as he gave me this almost pleading look. _You terrify me._

"Is there anything I can do to make it up to you? Anything I can say so that you do not fear me?" He sounded sincere, but I did not bite the bait.

Shaking my head furiously, I began to tremble. Goddess above, he scares me more than the poes do… I covered my face with my hands and slide down to my knees.

His footsteps tell me that he has left me alone in the room as a door slams and the smell in the room changes to that of yesterday. That odd smell that makes me sleep… Scrambling for the doorknob I stumbled out of the room and rushed to my own room. It smelled like the desert… It smelled like…

It smelled like not-Ganon…

* * *

I gripped the sink in my bathroom. Gritting my teeth just as fiercely, I groan to myself. God, what am I supposed to do with him? Treat him like a skittish foal? I can't even touch him without him freaking out all over the place! He thinks I'm going to fucking kill him! 

Alright, the fucking I _will_ do.

But not the killing…

Damn it! What am I supposed to do with him? What am I supposed to say? I looked in my reflection and it dawned on me. The honey!

* * *

I hid under my covers, curled up tightly and afraid. I could not shake the horror that I felt. He was going to come and get me and haul me to his dungeon and there was where he was going to torture me forever… Those tears from before came again as I thought about all he would do to me… 

I wished Epona was here with me, it would make this oppressive place just a little more livable…

Jumping at the sound of a knock, I peeked my head from my covers and looked towards the opening door. Ganondorf would not knock first, he would just barge in and take me! It must be Sukrabella…

I sat up and pulled the blanket off of my head as I turned to face the door. I was right, it was Sukrabella! Smiling I got out of the bed and ran over to her to embrace her. She laughed a little and patted my head as I hugged her. "Ah, you are like a little puppy aren't you!" she smiled at me and then held my face in her hands. Looking into my eyes she said softly, "My son has a gift for you. Will you come and receive it? It would make him happy…"

My blood ran cold in my veins. Sukrabella wanted me to visit with her son? He wanted to kill me!

"No he doesn't Master Link. Ganon does not want to hurt you." She brushed away the frightened tears from my eyes. "He just wants to make you happy!"

I closed my eyes, pulling away from her and hanging my head. I shook my head, my hair brushing against my skin. No. I would not see him. Not whilst I have a choice about it. I held my arms close against my body and gripped my shoulders. I would preserve myself until he came and forced me into my fate…

I heard Sukrabella's sigh but I just went to my bed, ignoring her and burrowing in my blankets again. I will wait for him to come get me. And I will wait right here…

* * *

I returned to the balcony where Ganon waited. He did not turn around, just said, "He thinks I'm going to kill him if you bring him out here, right Mother?" 

"Yes. He says he will wait until you come get him. He's acting in self-preservation." I joined my son at the balcony's wall and leaned against it. "What happened?"

Ganon frowned, "I joined him in the bed last night. I didn't do anything to him but when he woke up he freaked out. I tried to get him to listen to me, but he just shut himself down. I got frustrated because he really thinks I'm going to kill him and nothing I say can change his mind…" He sighed and rubbed his temples. "How can I get him to understand what I'm trying to do when he won't look at me long enough to see who I am."

I tapped my chin. "Try his horse. She should be coming around in a bit, why don't you try to talk to her with that one spell and get her to understand what you're doing. She can help, once she knows you don't want to hurt Master Link I'm sure she'd be quite pleased to help you." I smiled a little. "She's level headed, that one."

"She's a horse. Of course she's level headed." Ganon snorted.

I lightly punched his shoulder, "Don't take that tone with me young man."

"Mother, please." He rolled his eyes.

"And don't you roll your eyes at me!"

Ganon chuckled. Then he grew serious, "While I was gone. Did anything happen to him? The way he said it, it was like he _expected_ something to happen. Something, unreal."

"Did you already know about it?" I asked him. All trace of fun had left the air around us.

He nodded. "He had a nightmare in Desi's hospital and it was… those _things_… that he was dreaming about." Ganon unconsciously fumbled with the pendant around his neck. It was one that I had given him when he was young, several weeks after I knew the poes were after him I made that pendant as a ward. It was to protect him from them.

"Do you want me to make him a pendant also? It will take some doing, I am not the same priestess I was years ago." I asked this gently, looking out over the desert.

"Yes. Make him one too." Ganon made a fist around the pendant. "I need him protected from anything that could hurt him…"

I nodded and left him there, staring out over the sun-lit world and thinking about the moon-lit one.

* * *

Ganon looked up at the stars, sighing as his eyes flitted from one constellation to another. He looked for guidance in their shapes today. He looked for answers to his questions. Would he ever get Link to believe him? Would he be able to protect and love the man? Would he get Epona to understand? Would he ever get Link's love? 

But they just twinkled and flicked at him, as though they were laughing at his plight. Ganon sighed in anger. He ran a hand through his hair. Tomorrow he would give Link the honey, for sure. Tomorrow he would try again. And every day after that he would try, until he finally got Link's love… Until he finally got Link's heart.

Ganon left the balcony, walking down the hall of the men's wing to his room. Standing outside the door he looked down the way at Link's room. Oh it was going to be difficult to keep away…but he had sworn not to force Link into anything. He had made that promise to himself, and he always kept his promises…

Going into his room, Ganon breathed in the familiar jasmine scent. Link had slept in his bed…for two days if his mother was correct. Ganon could still see where the blonde had changed, his old clothing on the end of the bed. He gathered them in a hand and fingered the clothing. This had once been warm with Link's body. Ganon blushed and lay the clothing on a chair. He had to take a shower…a nice cold shower…

* * *

(AN: ya'll are gonna kill me for the next part! xD)

* * *

In silence I lay on my bed. Eyes wide I waited. This time, not for the tangible hands of Ganondorf, but the intangible ones of the Poes. I knew they were coming for me. I could feel them getting closer and closer… 

My eyes wanted to close. Slowly. Slowly. Slowly drooping until…

_Rending tearing wanting blood kill him sever his head kill him there he has no protection no protection no safety vulnerable open eat his soul eat his mind there he hides there he is find him there eat his soul eat his mind take his blood splash it around screams screams hear his screams sweet sweet revenge sweet sticky sweet blood!_

My eyes flashed open again, my breath coming faster and faster in the cold night air. Puffs of my breath clouded in front of me. Frost crackled on my blanket and I turned in horror to see the lifeless shape floating through the wall at me. It cackled and raised its scythe. I had no breath in my lungs. I could not scream I could not move I could not…

_Take the breath take the life bathe in blood eat his soul eat his sanity eat his heart eat his hope squeeze life from him slice life from him kill him kill him murderer of our peace! Ha ha ha ha! Perish pitiful ex-hero perish in this desert waste perish like the worm you are!_

The scythe fell down, slicing through the blankets around me and through the mattress. The cold of the blade froze the cloth and it shattered as I scrambled out of the bed. I fell out of the bed, my ankle caught in a sheet as I rolled away. Pulling free I ran for the door, only to skid to a stop as another poe cackled through it. I spun and ran the other way, towards the window, my only escape. My breath was white in the frosty air as I slipped on the icy floor and slammed down on my leg. The poes circled me, laughing as a third joined them.

_Stupid boy stupid boy can't hide from the ones you killed we're tied to your soul tied to your blood tied to you forever until you perish free us with your death free us free us! Sweet revenge sweet blood spill it spill it break open his body tear open his soul free us free us free!_

I covered my ears with my hands, curling over, unable to escape with my leg being slowly frozen to the floor. I did not want to hear their thoughts. I did not want to hear their desires. I did not want to know their wishes. I screamed. I screamed to get it away from me. To block out their voices. To block out their laugher. To block out the cold ice now in my leg. To block out the hopelessness. I screamed and screamed in horror and fear and despair.

I screamed because I was doomed.

And I knew it.

---------------TBC


	9. Poes, Horses and Futures

**Chapter NINE!**

_Omg, that is the longest I've ever gotten!_

**Poes  
Horses  
****and  
****Futures**

As if summoned by my screams, a single bell's toll pealed through the fortress. The poes shuddered, as if the sound struck them to their core. They moaned and shook their heads, wavering back and forth in the air above me. I cried uncontrollably. My sobs racked my body and tears freezing as they dropped onto my leg or the floor. I shivered and hugged my arms close to my chest, my teeth chattering at the ever present frost.

The door to my room burst in, flooding my world with sudden heat and light. The poes wailed and dissipated into smoke, their pulsating souls fading last of all. Blinded by the heat and light I recoiled from it, afraid of its bearer…He knelt beside me, the frost swiftly vanishing under his touch. His large hands lifted my from the floor, cradling me against his chest as my eyes stared at the amulet around his neck. Why had I not seen that before?

I was in the air as he carried me to the bed. Still shivering, he wrapped me in my torn bed linen and held me close to him. I closed my eyes. I could not hear the thoughts of the poes…I could only hear his heartbeat, fast and loud in my ears, along with his deep steadying breaths.

Whimpering, I clutched the cloth around me and tried to forget it all… His fingertips brushed against my cheek, cupping under my chin and tilting my head up. "Link…"

I opened my eyes enough to see the concerned look in his eyes. I pushed his hand away from my face with one of my own and turned my head down. Pulling the blanket tight around my head, I pressed my cheek to his robe covered chest and closed my eyes again. I would let him hold me this time, because right now I feared the poes more than I feared him…

He held me, rocking slightly, his chin over my head. His hands spread out over my back, both gentle as they rubbed my shoulders and down my spine. The sensation was overpowering and I gasped as his left hand slipped down past my waist before scampering back to my back. His fingers of his right hand worked between my shoulder blades, his knuckles pressing into my skin to loosen my muscles. His left hand wandered again, this time upwards, and pulled back the blanket from my head. He cupped my chin and cheek with his large hand and tilted my head up.

I dared not open my eyes, afraid of what I could find, as I felt his thumb roll across my lower lip. My mouth opened, letting out a relaxed sigh as he must have leaned in. For now his breath was on my face, warm and fast on my lips and cheek. I swallowed the lump in my throat and opened my eyes a sliver.

Ganondorf's face was mixed with astonishment, worry, desire, and resistance. It was as though he wished to pull away, but could not. His right hand froze as his lips brushed against mine.

For entire seconds afterwards, my heart froze solid. At the same time, my brain exploded. Then a mass of words and feelings rushed from my mind throughout my body and woke me to my surroundings. I blinked, once, twice, then pulled my head from his hand and twisted out of his lap. Landing with a thud on the floor I rolled out and came out of the bundle standing awkwardly and panting.

Ganondorf stared at me from his seat on my bed.

I stared at him, halfway between him and the door.

Once, carefully, I glanced over my shoulder at the open door. His eyes never left my face, but his hands dropped down to his lap. I did not know what to do. I did not know what to think.

* * *

He stood there like a troubled puppy, unsure of whether to stay with me or to run away. His confusion was apparent on his open-book face. I swallowed away the emotions running through me, forcing my body to forget that it had so recently held the delicious blonde. I would have to make the decision here; I would have to choose what to do as Link would not know what to make of the situation.

I stood.

He took a step back.

I cleared my throat and said, "The poes should not bother you again tonight. In the morning, my mother will provide you with spiritual protection from them. Goodnight Link." I walked a wide circle around him to the door. He turned as I passed him, to keep his eyes on me as I left him in the room alone.

I shut the door, sighing and licking my lips. He had tasted oh so sweet… I ran my hand through my hair and over my face. What the hell! I couldn't handle myself even here?

Knowing that sleep evaded me, I stepped into my room long enough to grab a set of clean clothes. Then I checked my robe, to make sure it was tight around my body and I left the wing.

To go to the dungeons.

And try to forget what had happened…or what nearly had happened.

* * *

I did not want to stay in that room tonight… I gathered the blankets around me and stepped into the hall. Ganondorf's bedroom door was open, and as I walked past I peeked in but he was not there. I licked my lips unconsciously, tasting Ganondorf on them and blushed. What had that been? Was that what a kiss was? Pressing my lips together I stepped into his room.

For some reason, it felt okay to go in his room, as long as he was not there. That thick smell came from the candles again and I sleepily went to the bed and fell asleep on top of his covers and on my own.

Before I fell in the silence of my dreams, I prayed to Din that Epona would return soon.

* * *

I awoke groggily when the door to my, er Ganon's, room burst open.

"Lord Ganon! Lord Ganon you said you wanted to be told when the horses were arriving!" The young woman rushed over to the bed and pulled down the covers. "Eep!" she clapped her hands over her mouth and blushed when she saw me.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes, _the horses are here?_

Still blushing, she nodded. I felt here eyes flick over my body, as if looking for something. I looked down at myself. I had sleep awkwardly, so my clothing was rumpled and pulled funny over my body. _Ah, sorry…_ I straightened my clothing and blushed a little, did it bother her to that my clothing was mussed? _Where are the horses?_

"Uh, in the stables…" she looked down at her feet, bowing suddenly as she exclaimed, "I am sorry to wake you from your rest Master Link! I imagine that you must have been very tired!"

I got out of the bed and blushed myself. _Really, you don't need to bow like that._

She shook her head at me, "I'm deeply sorry sir!"

We both looked up at the doorway where Ganondorf cleared his throat. "Please excuse us, Minella."

She squeaked and bowed again, dashing out of the room. I blinked at her quick step, _why did she leave like that? Was it something I said?_

"It was not something you did, Link." Ganondorf said as he entered the room. His clothing seemed to be splotched with a liquid that had darkened his brown tunic to near black. "If you will return to your room and change into decent clothing and shoes, I will allow you to go to the stables."

I perked up at that, suddenly not really caring what had happened to his clothing. _Would you? That would be great…to see Epona again!_ I took an unconscious step towards him.

He gave me a kind smile, like I was the only thing he saw, and nodded. "Yes, I would. Now run along to your room. _I_ must get cleaned up." He opened the door again and I practically skipped from the room.

* * *

In my rooms I stripped down out of my pajamas and rummaged through the chest at the end of my bed for some clothing. I wanted to look good for Epona, and these wrinkly things just would not do! I mean, Ganondorf was right; I had to change my clothing before I went to see my beloved companion. It would not do to have my clothing look like I had spent the night in my bed with them all stretched funny. Well…Ganondorf's bed, not mine…

Wait a minute, I stopped searching and sat back on my heels. I winced a little and eased off of my left ankle as I realized something. If _I_ spent the night in _Ganondorf's_ _bed_ where did he sleep? Or did he sleep at all?

It had not occurred to me before that he would _not_ sleep. I had assumed that he just slept in his room. But he was not there last night. And that girl had expected him there. So where was he? Did he sleep in someone else's bed? I blushed as I thought about this. Who would share a bed with him? Did the women here find him attractive? He was tall, very tall, had broad shoulders, and clearly defined facial features. He had nice hair, vivid eyes, powerful magic, and a high status and was probably rich. Why _wouldn't_ women like him?

I felt my blush creep down my neck, did Ganon have a woman? Did he have someone he spent the night with? But was it a secret? I wouldn't know… I just got here and have spent the whole time since my arrival up in my room! But now I couldn't stop thinking about it. Did Ganon have a woman? Could he have had a child with this woman? Could Ganon have a _baby?_

No! Of course not! Why would anyone have his baby? That's just absurd.

I made a little fist as I thought, **well damn, he'd probably have cute babies. With all that pretty red hair against that dark, dark flesh and smooth skin, I mean, **_**I'd**_** have his baby.**

Like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on me, I realized what I had just thought.

NO! I would not have another man's baby! I can't, I mean, I'm a man and he's a man and neither of us can have babies because we're men and men don't have babies women do. Right? Right, of course. I covered my face in embarrassment that I had even considered it.

A small voice in my head, the one who had murmured the previous irrational words to me, whispered this to me next,** Link, you'd have the baby if you were a girl though. You two would have cute babies! Just think about it!**

No! I refuse to think about us having babies. It WILL NOT happen.

**Magic can make anything happen…**

Goddesses save me. I'm talking to myself. Talking to myself about _babies. _Talking to myself about having _Ganon's babies_. Er…I mean Ganondorf's babies…

The knock at the door was the only forewarning I had to Ganondorf's entrance. "Link, are you ready yet?" He poked his head in. I could feel his gold eyes sliding up and down my half-dressed form.

I hastily pulled on my clothes, my face facing away as I did. I did not want there to be even the slightest chance he could find out what I had been thinking about. There was no way I'd EVER let him know.

NEVER.

I hope…

* * *

Once I finished dressing he led me through the fortress. The side glances from the women around me, along with little hidden giggles and sly smiles, made me feel like I had worn or done something funny. I kept trying to meet their eyes, so I could ask them what it was, but each time they'd blush, giggle and look away.

Finally, Ganondorf turned me away from the last one with a hand on my shoulder. He arched an eyebrow as he said, "It's alright Link, just ignore them. Sometimes, you just can't understand women."

I nodded in mild confusion and shrugged his hand off of me. _Alright…fine._

And then I heard her.

With a triumphant cry, Epona dashed from the stable hand and ran straight for me. Arms outspread I greeted her with a gleeful cry of my own. Oh how much easier I could live here, with Epona at my side…

Their reunion made my heart ache as I looked on. Could he…would he ever greet me like that? She walked circles around him and he turned with her as he ran his fingers all over her beautiful red coat. She made those happy horse noises, noises he seemed to imitate as he smiled and stroked her neck and shoulders and back and flank.

I felt a smile on my own lips, what a beautiful sight they were. A fiery mare and a blonde angel locked in a dance of happiness and affection. He gripped her mane and she paused in her step for a moment, and then he swung up, his glossy hair sparkling in the sun. Sitting proudly on his horse they pranced around in a circle, Epona's head high and tail flagged as Link stroked her neck and ran his fingers through her mane. He laughed and smiled as she kicked her heels into the air and circled around me.

It was a sight that made me happy, even when I was truly not part of it… This was how I wanted him to be with me. Those smiles of his; that giddy sparkle in his eyes; that laughter… I wished he could direct that towards me. Now that would make _me_ a very happy man…

Ganondorf approached me as I slid down from Epona's back and hugged her head to my chest. "I'll have the saddlebags taken to your rooms, alright?"

I looked up at him, suddenly remembering my precious honey! _NO! you can't! Don't do anything with them!_ I lunged for his arm, _I __**need**__ my honey from those bags! And my cake that Agitha gave me! I __**need**__ those!_

He held up his hand to some girl across the way, she held my bags. I released Ganondorf and ran to her. She handed me the bags and I tore into them. Absently I heard Epona approach me, whickering softly, (her horse laughter.) And then, _there it was._

Beautiful and intact…I held the blue jar above my head, like I had held other precious items so many times before, except this time the smooth jar's surface never left my palms. Lowering it again I nestled it in my lap as I looked for my cake. It had been put in a wooden box by Agitha after I told her that I would be traveling the desert with it. She had purchased charms for the box, to preserve the cake, and as I pulled out the box, I checked the seams. Sealed, still, so it should be perfect. I hugged the box to my chest, ecstatic to finally have something beautiful and sweet to taste.

I got back to my feet, holding the box and jar like little children as I looked up at Ganondorf, _alright the bags can go now…_He made a gesture to the girl and she picked them back up.

Epona nuzzled my arm and looked up at me, her eyes hopeful, _will you share with me?_

I looked down at the honey, my eyes growing wide. _Share my honey?_

She wuffled my sleeve and then lipped the box, _no silly, the cake. Share the __**cake**__ with me! I'm due a treat, thank you very much, the desert is a horrible place to cross and I didn't __**have**__ to come. I could have stayed in Ordon! _

_You wouldn't abandon me here would you?_ I looked at her, my eyes wide and prickling with false tears.

She just rolled her beautiful eyes at me and snorted, _oh you are so needy sometimes! Just share with me, I'm sure that you can have some sweets at another time! Ganondorf looks like he'd do anything for you…_ She glanced at the tall man. So did I, really looking at him since his return the other day (or was it night when he returned, oh well, I do not remember). He was talking to one of the women, I was far enough away that I could not hear his words, just his voice. It was deep, thoughtful and very commanding as he ordered the woman to do something. His thick arms were crossed over his broad chest and he had most of his weight on his right foot. His left toe tapped lightly in the sand as he talked to the woman, giving away his slight impatience.

As he spoke his white teeth flashed from between his dark lips and above his red beard. His facial features were strong and defined, as I had said earlier, a square bearded chin, a hawk-like nose above a wide set mouth and just below two medium-sized and expressive golden eyes. His eyebrows furrowed his forehead just a bit as he spoke with grave importance to the woman. The hair on his head short and trimmed, as his beard was, but had a few wisps arching down from his crown to his forehead.

His head was on a thick neck, in the middle of two proudly held shoulders at the top of a torso that was nearly twice as thick and as wide as my own. He did not wear the armor I had seen him wear at the castle, oh no, he wore what I suppose is typical of a man of the desert; a light tunic over a tan shirt, the tunic bottom hanging over the darker brown of his pants with a thick belt pinning the shirt and tunic down. The pants are open ending jus over his ankle and reveal his large feet bound with leather sandals.

He wore several rings on his fingers, none on his ring finger of his right hand, and an amulet… the amulet from last night hung around his neck. It was lightless now, and I could see that it was an orange gem with a slit of black in the center. My eyes were drawn to it, that thing had disposed of the poes with amazing ease…

I knew then that I needed that if I were to survive the nights here…

Epona nudged me, bringing my concentration back to her suddenly. I blinked a few times as she whickered at me. Her dark eyes were twinkling as she suggested we find somewhere to sit and eat the cake.

I immediately agreed, as eating cake was one of the best things to do in the morning. I spotted a crate beside the stable and walked with her to it. Opening the box, I found the cake to be completely intact, thankfully. I grinned at it, it was cut and decorated into the shape and colors of a grasshopper. With a little laugh I showed it to Epona, _when I met her, I was wearing the green Hero's tunic. She called me a grasshopper…and continued to every time we would meet._

Epona nodded, _give me a piece already!_

I laughed a little more and reached for a blade on my back.

Again, cold realization hit me like a face plant in the snowy mountain. I didn't have the master sword. I didn't have hardly any weapons… if you could count what I had a weapon…

My hand grasped at air just over my shoulder and I swallowed the painfully large lump in my throat. I had forgotten. In my pleasure at Epona's arrival, I had forgotten why I was here and what I gave up to get here.

"Link…"

I looked up to see Ganondorf's face. He held out his hand to me, a small dull knife in it. It looked like a toy in his hand and I took it from him. In my hand it seemed like a small weapon…

"May I have a piece?" he asked me.

I looked from my hand to his face and then to Epona. Her expression told me to _be a good boy and share_, so I sighed and nodded my head. _Alright, which piece do you want?_ I gestured to the little grasshopper cake.

"A leg." Ganondorf said with a little smile.

I cut the leg off of the cake and paused, unsure of how to give it to him. When I glanced up at Ganondorf, I saw as silver light gathered in the palm of his hand. Suddenly it faded and a silver plate lay in the man's palm. He handed it to me and I served the cake to him. Graciously he bowed his head a bit and thanked me for the cake. Summoning a fork he began to eat his slice as I cut another for Epona.

I gave her pieces from the palm of my hand until she lifted her nose at the sweet. I smiled at her and licked the icing from my fingers. Using the knife, I sliced off parts of the frosting and cake and ate them. Soon the entire thing was disappearing under my ministrations. Not to long afterwards, I liked the bottom of the box, getting the last bits of the sweet sugary goodness.

* * *

Ganondorf is gone when I am finished, but Epona remains by my side. She presses her muzzle to my knee as I set the box down. I am about to swing onto Epona's back when I notice a girl standing where Ganondorf had before. She is one of the youngest girls I have seen here yet, her hair long and braided, over her shoulder and with strands of gold and silver ribbon in it. Her hair is a brighter red, nearly orange and her eyes, staring down at my feet, are gold.

Her clothing covers much more of her body than the garments of the other girls. She wears a cream colored robe with red lining on hems. A silver amulet hangs around her neck along with several other necklaces of other precious stones. A dark red sash around her waist keeps her robe closed, but I can see the blue fabric of her tunic poking out from the top of the robe. She looks up at me, blushes and chews on her lower lip. Then she bows deeply at the waist, her hands folded in front of her as he hair brushes against the sand. "My lord Warrior, my Matron Priestess has summoned you so that the orders of my lord Mage may be fulfilled. He has implied that you are in need of an _lkgislk_ charm for the _lknjoig_."

I blinked, completely unable to understand the meaning of those words. In fact, I could hardly understand what she said at all. _What?_

Her blush continues to her ears, which are un-pierced, much unlike the other girls here. "Please accompany this one to the cathedral. Once there, you will be given an _fghoghsk_ charm by my Matron Priestess. My lord Warrior, this one has been informed that you are to come the moment that your previous actions are finished with my lady equine."

I slid off of the crate and looked at Epona. She snorted at me and gestured to the girl. _Follow her._

I nodded, indicating that I knew that already, and stepped to the girl. She clasped her hands behind her back and spun on a booted heal. Hurrying off towards the west, her fast steps kept her just ahead of me. By the time I arrived at the looming building of red stone, my left ankle was sore from trying to keep up with her and I was trying not to limp.

The cathedral loomed over me, a cream colored building with dark brown wooden doors and a circular colored glass window. The girl opened the door easily and I watched as it swung out on silent gold hinges. The girl bowed low again and gestured inwards with her right arm. "This way my lord Warrior." I stepped into the building, my eyes immediately searching the few shadows and the rafters. Tall paned glass windows lined the wall, letting in red, blue, green, yellow, and orange light. I followed the girl down the dark red-brown carpet placed on the floor between the pews. The benches themselves were of light brown wood, the seats lined with plush dark brown cushions.

I had never really gone into a church before, and I found it to be a solemn beauty. The windows depicted the religion's basic beliefs, I guessed, as they were of similar women doing different things. But I did not recognize any of the images…

My eyes were drawn past my escort to the alter, a tall statue, made out of alabaster white stone and wrapped in river blue scarves stood fifteen tall over the robed women at her feet. Her left hand, held out above and before her head, cradled a blue orb. In her right arm she held a swaddled child, made of the same white stone, with one hand reaching up at its mother's breast.

A baby…

I stopped, feeling and odd pulling sensation on my heart.

I had never really thought of babies before today. Never really questioned my future; whether I would settle down with Ilia or would end with me bleeding my heart out in a dungeon somewhere. Never really imagined what would happen; whether I would ride out of Hyrule in search for another adventure or settle down at the ranch or be with the princess.

Would I have been happy, I wonder, would I have just been content living with those women? Would I have looked for trouble for the rest of my life? Would I have left Hyrule and looked for something, anything, to fight for? Would I continue to fight? Would I have fought Ganondorf?

I could not answer these questions, as I could not see what could have been, merely what goes on now. And as I looked down at the base of the statue, I see the five women there have turned to regard me and the girl.

I recognize Sukrabella as the woman dressed in a pure white robe and golden sash. Her hood is up, but I can see curls of her orange hair peek from under the white hood. She lowers it and smiles to me, "Master Link, we have been expecting you."

I suddenly felt awkward there, dressed roughly and with my fingers still sticky from the icing. I blushed and nodded, unsure what to do.

The girl before me bowed, "This one has done my Matron Priestess's wishes, and she has brought my lord Warrior to the Alter for the _htohsijgk_."

My confusion must have shown on my face for Sukrabella smiled a little and said, "She means that you are to receive a charm that will repel the poes. It is what my son has said you require, yet this I already knew and have been preparing a strong enough spell for you. Come up here." She gestured and I stepped closer.

Walking past the girl and up the steps to the alter I hesitated, until Sukrabella gestured to flat table. I sat there, and then lay down as she directed me to. "Close your eyes Master Link, as this will take some time."

I closed my eyes, and no sooner than I had, I was dropped into blackness and lost the use of my senses.

* * *

Matron Priestess required my assistance in more than fetching the Warrior. I was to assist in the spell that she needed to cast. So I hurried to my place beside the alter, across from my Matron Priestess and held my hands up above the Warrior as she did.

Together, the five priestesses and I chanted the spell. Our hands glowed with the white light of our goddess and we clasped our hands together. Closing our eyes in unison, we imagined the item we were to charm with our inner eye.

This item had been the subject of controversy between my Matron Priestess and lord Mage. He wanted belt, she wanted amulet, then he wanted gauntlet and she wanted ankle band. Personally, I felt that the Warrior would feel most comfortable with a slim bracelet or choker necklace. It would be dark blue, with a silver clasp and the runes of the spell burned into the tough fabric. He could wear it as he wished where he wished, giving him the image of freedom with a binding item such as this.

It would be soft on the underside, possibly lined with silk there, and a little rougher on the outside, perhaps made of leather. And cool to the touch. Like the dark sand under the shifting surface sand.

With it would be an aura of calm, and to resist poes, it would not light up like my lord Mage's, it should instead swallow light… yes, these things would be the perfect item for him.

I opened my eyes with the rest of the priestesses as the spell ended. My Matron Priestess held out her hands as the small cloth object fell into her palm. Incredulously, she looked at it, her mouth open and eyes wide.

"Why this isn't…!"

Curiously, we looked on, as she held up the thin blue leather and silk choker necklace. I blush, realizing that my wandering thoughts have ruined the spell. "My Matron Priestess, this one apologizes, she did not mean to…" I stop as she hold out her hand to me, palm up.

"Silence Era. If it was you who changed the item with your thoughts, then you must have been channeling the goddess. As can be seen by the color and inscription upon the inside of the collar." She flipped it around and showed it to us.

One of the older priestesses covered her mouth with her hand as she blushed. A few others gasped and bit back chuckles. The one beside me grinned as she shook her head in disbelief. I tapped my chin and remarked, "This one didn't mean _that_ to be there. This one had not even thought of _that_."

Matron Priestess grinned as she closed her hand around the necklace. "Not a word to Ganon, alright you lot?" we all nodded, her word was our command. "We'll see how this plays out, hmm?"

Again we nodded.

Then a stirring beneath our gazes turned our eyes down. The Warrior awoke…

**-------------TBC

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Omg, that one is freaking long! I thought it would go for twelve pages, but I suppose nine is good enough! Lol, anyway…

Review my readers! Review so I will hurry up with the next chap! I want to know what you guys/girls liked with this one and what was soooo not cool!

I think this is one of the most descriptive chapters so far, so tell me if you like that! In need responses, ya'll!

Anyway… I'ma go watch tv now! Give my poor fingers a rest! (I just wrote the last three pages of this in like an hour and a half ya'll! They're dead!)

no flames please! i prefer pie! thank you!


	10. Dreams and Gifts and Gifts and Dreams

I disclaim any profit from these stories (or others like it) wherein i do not own the characters and sometimes the world. Thank you very much Bow

**YAY **we're getting to the better part! ooooh, can't wait! punches fist in the air with excitement You guys are gonna LOVE this next bit! er... after the festival... in a few chapters! okay, shutting up now!

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**Chapter Ten: Dreams and Gifts and Gifts and Dreams**

Mother entered my library as I idly studied through a spell-book, and cleared her throat to get my immediate attention. My glance prompted her to continue and she spoke quickly, "The act is done. Master Link has the token to repel the poes. He is still unconscious from the event and when he wakes will be told of the item and it's properties."

I nodded, turning the page in my book and asking simply, "And the item is?"

"Era had been channeling the goddess during the spell. The item is dark blue leather and silk band with a silver buckle and runes upon the outer and inner bands. We are quite sure that this is what the goddess desired." She spoke with a little smile that I understood it to be a Priestess' secret.

Sighing I stroked my beard, "I had hoped it to be something flashier than that…"

"On another note, my son, the preparations for the moon dance are nearly finished and Nialla and her sisters have shown a deep desire to fully integrate Master Link by inviting him to the dance and setting him as the guest of honor. They believe, and I agree with them, that he would more fully become one of us if he were allowed to come and participate. So I am formally asking you if he may." She bowed her head respectfully, though I know she held a smirk upon her face. She knew I would not, could not refuse to see him there.

"The guest of honor." I murmured, pondering the idea. "In traditional garb of course."

"Of course." I heard the amusement in her voice. "I thank you, my son, and I am sure that Master Link will as well."

"I will be the one to tell him, Mother."

She smiled as she backed from the room, signaling that she heard me.

After she left, I re-opened the book and thumbed through the pages. Link at the Moon's Dance. How deliciously delightful…

* * *

**Hero…Hero of Time**

_That is not my name anymore…who speaks?_

**Hero…you are lost here. Lost in the desert. Lost in the wild. Lost in your heart and mind. Call out to your love. She comes for you…**

_Wait a minute, just wait… lost? I haven't gone anywhere but the fortress and how can I be lost in something inside me? __And what love? She is here with me already, I have Epona here already!_

**Do not argue, you impudent boy! Do you not know who speaks to you?**

_Ummm, no?_

**Ugh, to whom have you been speaking to all your life, hmm? Whom did you serve for all of your true life? For whom did you think you lay your life down for?**

_Uh…the princess?_

**No you fool! It is I, Farore the goddess who gave you the strength and courage you forsook in the Hyrule Castle Throne Room.**

_Forsook my courage? It courage to surrender myself to a megalomaniac like Ganon who has every reason in the world to torture me to death and back again! It took strength to realize that I would not survive or save Hyrule if I fought him half-heartedly as I would have! Besides, I saved the country, isn't that all that matters?_

**Look, boy, I do not have time to argue with you about petty things…**

_My sacrifice was not petty!_

**LISTEN TO ME! There are things out here that are swirling around you, Fates that neither I nor my sisters had planned for you or your line. The goddess that gives you the protection from the Souls of the Damned has demanded something of you without your knowledge. She will only give you protection as you wear that blue token. However, as you wear that token, there is a property changed about you to fulfill her fancies for her own people.**

_I'm not following the unknown-nednes about that. I knew that I was giving something up long before I even got the necklace._

**Listen, Link, when you wear the necklace you cannot, under any circumstances, no matter what happens---- **

_… … … Farore? Can't what? What can't I do? Hello? Hello? Farore! …Why does this always happen to me!?

* * *

_

I seemed to always be waking up from something. First, it was just a sleep in my house, then it was during the attack in the cave, after that I woke up to find out I had passed out with those burns. And the that strange infirmary, then I awoke in a new room, then Ganondorf's room without him and then with him and… urgh I think I should stop listing all the times I woke up since I got here. It really is silly.

But the places I wake up in…like now I have no idea where I am. And I can't feel any of my body parts well enough to sit up and look around. Besides, I'm on a comfortable bed and it is warm and there is a slight breeze and…

A sudden wet _thing_ drew itself along my cheek and I peeked open an eye to see Epona staring down at me with one of her beautiful brown eyes. I smile and open both my eyes to see her face lingering above me. I shift and realize that I am lying on a blanket that has been placed upon a cushion of hay. Rubbing my cheek with the back of my hand I slowly sit up. Flinging my arms about her neck I run my hands in her mane and on her smooth coat. She makes those soft, happy horse noises and I pull back from the hug to look at her beautiful face again. _Have I told you how lovely you look today?_

_No, silly, you haven't. _She fluttered her eyelashes at me, and I knew she was flattered.

_I swear I did, I mean, I haven't seen you in ages and then when you do come I don't tell you are lovely? What kind of fool am I?_ I put my the back of my hand to my forehead in mock shame as I flopped back on the blanket.

_Not much of one. Today is yesterday's tomorrow._

I stared blankly at her for a moment, figuring out her tricky words. _Today is what?_

_Yesterday's tomorrow._ She replied proudly, obviously she had come up with it on her own. _It means that yesterday was the day I arrived here and today is the day after that._

_But you came home yesterday __**morning!**__ What happened to me?_

_You left with that priestess-girl. A bit later you were brought back to me and they put you where you are now. I have been watching over you since then. _

I sat up quickly, _Ganondorf! He has demanded of me that I stay in my rooms. What shall I do when he finds out I was here and not where he—_

_Calm down Link, _Epona nuzzled against my shoulder to comfort me, _He came by to check in on you. We talked a little, and you are safe here with me. He said that you may do as you wish with me, so long as it does not take you away from here and go against the deal you two made. _

I sighed, relieved and bothered at the same time. All because of _him_ I felt like this… _Epona, I do not know what he wants. I do not understand him. _Looking up into her face I saw the comforting understanding that I always needed.

_I know, but do not be too troubled my love. I am sure that in due time Ganon will tell you exactly what he wants. Just make sure that you do not shut him out to early, I assure you that he doesn't want to hurt you. _Her eyes twinkled as she spoke.

I pouted; _you know what he wants, don't you!_

If she had been a woman she would have laughed loudly at me, as it was, she whickered and tossed her head, _of course I do. I demanded to know and he wisely told me. However, it'll be so much more fun if you find out from him than if you found out from me. Besides, he will know when the time is exactly right. _One of her ears flicked back and she turned her head around to look. I, too, moved to look around her and saw the man in question standing in the stable door. With the light mainly behind him, he looked dark in feature and yet, I was not as frightened by him as I was once.

"Master Link."

His voice rumbled through me and I recognized something like anxiety in it as I got to my feet and faced him. _Yes?_

"I have something to present you with. Would you come with me?" he half turned so the light fell across his face and clothing and lit him up in my eyes. He smiled a little and held out his arm to the doorway.

I gave Epona a quick hug around the neck and rushed over to him, not wanting to displease him. _What is it?_

"You'll see."

I walked a little behind him at his side, glancing up to see that there was excitement on his face also. Curious to what would make him so excited, I hurried my steps.

"I got you something. Hopefully you will like it."

_What is it?_ He did not see my question, though, as he instead opened a door and entered it. I continued to follow him until we arrived in the Men's Wing. Passing my door and then his too, we arrived at a freshly painted door and he opened it. I went inside at his gesture and looked around.

To my right a desk jutted out from the wall and near that a book shelf. More in the middle of the room was a couch, with a low table and a fireplace near it. On the last side of the room was a higher table with several chairs around it and a case on top. Several other cases were stacked in the corner too. Beside the case on the table was a single jar.

My honey addiction made me desirous to look into any and all jars I came across and so I found myself stepping to it before even thinking to do so. I took it into my arms and opened the lid. Inside was glorious honey, slightly redder than I had seen before, but still honey in smell and stickiness. I stuck my finger in the golden goop and lifted it out, twirling so as to not waste a drop. Sticking the finger in my mouth I closed my eyes and knew I had reached heaven.

Well, not exactly, as the taste was richer and slightly fruitier than I had ever had honey taste like before. The honey, warm from the sun, slid easily down my throat as I scoured my finger for every last bit. Finished, I closed the lid and cuddled the jar to me, patting the top and crooning to it. It was the largest pot of honey I had ever seen.

Ganondorf cleared his throat and I looked up at him. He beamed and suddenly it dawned on me. This room was not what he wished to show me, it was the _honey_.

I looked down at the jar and then up at him. _You got this for…me?_

He nodded, his chest swelling with pride as he said, "You will have as much as you want of this and anything else you want to. Within the limits of our deal, of course."

I gawped at him, shocked at this display. I did not know what to say so I slowly walked over to him, and, standing a few feet away, I bowed. Straightening back up I looked him in the eye, _Thank you very much for the gift, Lord Ganondorf._

He blinked a few times, cleared his throat and replied, "Please, Link, call me Ganon or at least Ganondorf."

I blushed, thinking I might have offended him somehow, and nodded. _Yes, of course, if you would like that._

He looked away, and I knew I had done something wrong. But, not knowing what it was, I did not know how to fix it.

"Enjoy the honey. I shall come for you at sunset. Please do not leave the men's wing." And with that he left me alone in my muddled thoughts in the room of honey. I looked down at the jar in my hand and thought; _no way will I sneak out now. Not when he's the one giving me the order to stay._ Then I went to the couch and opened the jar, to eat the delicious honey in the silence of the room.

* * *

I fell asleep, I knew it because I was back home and there were bright blue birds chirping outside the glass of my window. I was dreaming, I knew that because my room was lined in honey jars, like it always was in my dreams. 

I was content like this, eating as I sat on the floor by the window, watching birds flit around outside. The sunshine soaked into my skin. The peace permeated my flesh and filled my body. It was lovely and gorgeous and beautiful all at the same time. I took a deep breath, expecting the scent of honey and pine to fill my nostrils, but instead met the smell of charred wood and meat.

Gagging on the smell, I rushed to my feet and flew to the door. Flinging it wide open I saw fire licking the trees before my home. Fire that came from the village. I looked around the clearing, my home was surrounded it fire and, oh goddesses no, _poes_.

Their ethereal bodies cackled as they raced towards me. I fell to my knees, throwing my hands up above me for protection and cowered there, unable to fight them as a man.

Then, as they rushed towards me, a writhing blackness opened up around me and swallowed the poes and the fire and the sun and the color around me. Just as suddenly as it arrived, it vanished, leaving nothing in my dream but me and the whiteness of the dream world. I stood, looking around and then looking down at my hands, wondering if this is where the poes had taken me too.

A gentle voice spoke to me. It was not the slightly irritated and rushed voice of Farore or the whining cackle of the poes. It was soft and secure, like the voice of that strange priestess-girl and I closed my eyes to listen more carefully. _**Precious Warrior, you now have experienced the gift of my protection. With it, you may survive to fulfill your destiny. You may not enjoy the prospect of your life having a Fate already set, but, this destiny was the alternate one to you. The one that I thought best for you, precious Warrior. **_

_Why do you call me a warrior? I do not fight any longer._

_**You do not fight with blade and blood, yet you will need to fight for your life. And for the life of another. Do you understand that your battles are not yet over? **_

_No! No more battles, no more bloodshed!_ I whipped around, trying to find this voice. Opening my eyes to search for the culprit so I may more fully convey my desire.

_**Hush...** _suddenly I relaxed and sat down heavily on the white ground. _**No, not bloodshed. This battle will merely be one of magic and politics, of words and passion. All you must do is survive, my noble Warrior. All you must do is realize you are not alone here. You are surrounded with those who care for you, surrounded by those who watch over you. Do not fear my noble Warrior, you have nothing to fear from me or my followers in this land of mine. Here in the desert, I watch over you through the eyes of my prophetess and priestesses. Here in the desert, I watch over you through the eyes of my faithful lord Mage. Here in the desert, I watch over you always.**_

I nodded my head, and felt my hand reach up to my neck, touching a fabric I had not noticed until then. Startled, I undid the clasp of the collar and looked at it. Dark blue with silver lettering and buckle. It was attractive and appealing to the eye and I smiled. I liked it, and I assumed I got it from the strange voice that spoke to me.

I was always getting artifacts like that from strange places and people.

Shrugging I put it back on, closing my eyes to focus on the task. When I opened my eyes again I found myself back on the couch from the room with the honey. The honey jar sat on the low table and a pillow lay under my head. Sitting up, I realized that I had a blanket over me as well. My hands were at my neck and I realized that the blue necklace fit snugly around my neck there.

Yawning and stretching, I looked about and realized that the sun had set. Covering my face with my hands I moaned, _Hero of Time I may have been, I seem to have no timing anymore._

A soft chuckle alerted me to the presence of another and I turned on the couch to see Ganondorf leaning against the wall beside the door. "Good evening, Link." He murmured, striding towards me and the couch. He put his large hands on the back of the couch and smiles at me. "Did you sleep well?"

I looked away, nodding slightly.

"Are you hungry?"

I nodded again.

His hand descended on my head, ruffling my blonde hair and I turned to look up at him. "Come and eat then, Link, for tonight is the first night of the Feast of Ages. You will like it. Come…"

His voice seemed to compel me to my feet, and I did come. At the door he held out his hand to me, it was large and flat, the palm up. It was empty and it seemed…almost lonely. Hesitantly, I placed my palms on his and then his large fingers closed over mine, like a huge blanket over a child. He smiled. I felt to nervous to smile back, but I didn't look away.

He led me through the building, again, holding my hand gently yet firmly and not giving me too much time to dawdle. In fact he hurried me on with much of the same excitement as when he had led me to the honey. With that thought, I stepped faster, perhaps this surprise feast would hold the same delight as a jar of honey!

Alright, that was just a silly thought, but, it was a nice one too.

I heard drums outside the door as Ganondorf suddenly stopped. He took a deep breath and said, turning to me, "This may be overwhelming, so I just want you to sit back and relax at first, alright?"

I numbly nodded my head. I had golden butterflies having their ball in my stomach, inviting their friends the golden mantis couple and the golden day flies. My toes tingled and I wiggled them in their respective sandals as Ganondorf slowly pushed open the day.

Dimly I realized that he led me into the court yard, I could hardly feel my body for all of the things I saw with my eyes and heard with my ears. I would have fallen over if not for Ganondorf's hand around mine and steady urging me forward.

Oh Goddesses's blessed sky and earth, I have never, _never_ seen _anything_ like this in my life. _Ever!_

**TBC**

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Too lazy to describe the next scene right now. i'll do it later... I'm working on other things other things yes...

review my readers! review!


	11. Festivals and Ganon

**Disclaimer:** i don't own them, yes its true!

FFlove190, rozellarising, murasakidrops, JtheChosen1, JessicaWonka (?), thank you all for reviewing the last chapter!

But quickly! onto the story!**

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Chapter 11: Festivals and Ganon 

Three bonfires set an equal distance away from each other; in the center of them a triangular cloth of the darkest navy. Many women danced around the outside of the fires, where the cloth was not, leaping over the triangle when they came to it. They wore every color Link had ever seen, and then some. Their bodies flashed too, gold and copper jewelry chiming and reflecting the fires. Around the outside, by smaller fires of the whitest white, sat and knelt priestesses dressed in white robes with varying colors of sashes. They beat wild rhythms from their tanned hide drums and silver bells. Some of them played long flutes made from ivory or bone.

The dancers twirled and leaped, their bright sashes flashing about over the fires. The fires themselves were colored, by magic or simply by powder, Link did not know or bother to think of. The fire closest to him was green and wild, sometimes roaring up, sometimes spitting out green flecks of ember into the night sky. To the left of the green flame rumbled the tall flames of a dark red fire. These were high and continuous in strength. To the right of the green flame curled the blue flame. This one snapped blue embers and thick smoke as it burned low to the source of its fuel.

Just when Link thought that the colors and sounds and sight could not get any more overwhelming, a troupe of women came out with baskets of food carried on their heads and in their arms. He stared as these women circled in and set out smaller cloths upon the ground, three triangles coming off from the side of the large dark blue one. One of each of the triangle was a color of a fire. The food was set upon them, a large bowl of dark liquid placed in the middle with smaller goblets around it.

Then, as if on cue, the music and dancing dropped from a wheeling mixture of sound and sight to nearly nothing as the women dancing stopped to just sway by the fire and the bells and flutes hushed. Only the deep beating of the drum, like the heartbeat of an enormous beast, continued on.

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I jumped as Ganondorf laid a hand on my shoulder. Looking up in surprise at the man I was startled even more when he grinned at me and said, "You're the guest of honor for this year's feast, Link."

_Sweet Din's fire, what does that mean!?_

He laughed and said, "You get to eat first." And he put his hand on my back and walked me towards the fires. He stopped at the blue triangle, but ushered me on. Standing in the center of the triangle in the center of the circle in the center of the fortress, I felt like every possible eye in the world stared at me, waiting for me to do something…

But what?

That priestess girl from yesterday appeared before me, breaking from the robes of white. She held out a goblet to me, made of the whitest ivory and brightest gold, set with stones of garnet, sapphire and emerald. She knelt as she held it out to me, her eyes lowered as I took the cup. I held it in both of my hands, staring down at my flickering reflection in the blood red wine.

"As the Honored Guest and the most needing of the Goddess's Blessing, you must drink the wine of her Feast to begin the celebration and to receive the Blessing." Was that a sparkle in her eye I saw as she glanced at me briefly, or was it merely the flickering flames?

I nodded and held up the goblet and then put my lips to the edge. A collective breath was gathered as I drank from the cup, first one, then two, then three and four gulps of the thickly sweet wine. I have to break away, gasping for a breath and licking my lips. _So sweet…like a thin red honey…_

I lifted it up and drank again, tipping back my head and the goblet. Dimly I heard the whistles and calls from the girls as I drank the magnificent liquor. Draining the cup, I panted for a bit, licking my lips and glancing up. The priestess smiled as she took the bejeweled item from me. I turned, fire and reflections of gold and color dancing in my vision. I saw Ganon's glowing red hair and startled face as I stopped and held my hands up to the sky. Staring at the swirling stars in the ink-black sky, swimming like guppies after a spring rain, I let out a triumphant shout and brought my hands in close to me as fists.

Things wavered after that, a feverish mesh of melting colors and music as I fell back onto the dark cloth, holding my stomach as I laughed at myself. At my side appeared that handsome dark skinned man, one hand holding food, the other clear water.

I took the many seedless fruits, none bigger than my little finger, and popped them into my mouth, giggling and grinning as I did. Ganon held me with his hand on my shoulder and put the clear water to my lips. I drank, but it was not enough to wash away the taste of that wine completely.

I pushed the cup away, looking up into his earnest face. His mouth is moving but I can't understand him, all I hear are the pulsating beats from the drums in my ears and in my veins. He looks up and away, talking to someone and this upsets me… I don't want him to look at anyone else right now. Just me! Me! Me! Look at me!

My hands are up on his face, gripping tight as I force him to look back down at me. I think my face is saying things to him that I don't know because he looks torn, but interested and he's resisting but…

I can't let him resist…I must act now, must use all my courage…

His eyes are bright and dreamy, _Ganon the lights the world all moving… even you are moving… so handsome! I say you are handsome! Handsome like a prince a beautiful beautiful prince. Do you want me prince? Everyone wants me, princesses, little girls, townsfolk! The world wants me! Ha ha! Dancing pretty these girls of yours… do they dance like this all the time? Are these really fierce warriors? What could you want with me? No torture? And the honey! By the sword, the honey! Gave me a dream… Ganon Ganon Ganon! What a name, like canon. I like it. I love your name GanonGanonGanon. _He giggles, his face flushed with the headiness of the drink.

"Dearest Goddess, what did Mother and Era put in your drink?" I murmur before I look up to ask my sister. She is giggling quietly behind a hand as she holds the goblet. "Era, what did you put in his drink?!"

Before she answers, his heavenly hands reach up and pull my face to look at him again. His eyes now plead with me, demanding from me more, _don't look away from me! Look only at me! Look at me right now, not at anyone else. Just me. Just me! I want you. I want you to look at me and to hold me. I want you right now! Do not look away, do not see someone else! I want your attention. I demand it! _

I want to resist him. He's drunk. He doesn't know what he's saying. He doesn't know what he's doing. Resist. Resist.

Then the impossible…He brings his lips up against mine, pressing in an innocent kiss that tastes of sickly sweet wine and …Goddess's Eyes, is this how it feels when a hero of time tries to kiss you drunkenly? Like wine and sweet flesh? I pull him closer, ignoring the cat calls and cheers from my followers. Damn women probably planned the whole thing!

I focus only on his lips, only on his taste. He is drunk, yes, but perhaps drunk enough that he will not remember it? I can always pray… He pulls back his eyes clouded with conflicting and mixed emotions as he blinks up at me. _Had a dream…I can't do…something? I don't know…Farore said…not to…do something…Such an odd dream…_His eyes blink slowly. Is he falling asleep already? His hands on my face have dropped down to my shoulders, he is breathing slowly through slightly parted lips. His eyelids droop. His head lulls towards my chest as he closes his eyes and passes out.

Era, kneeling on the blanket, grins as she whispers, "Better luck tomorrow, brother." Then she is up and gone, returning to the ranks of priestess.

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I carried him back to the building leaving behind the grins and knowing looks of the women. He was warm in my grip, his hair soft against my upper arm. One of his hands clutched the front of my tunic, the other lay limply in his lap. I took him to his room, near the top of the building; I jiggled the door open with my elbow and pushed it open with my foot. It was chilly in here, with no fire in the fireplace, and Link shivered. I saw goose-bumps rise on his arms and legs.

At his bed, i9 held him in one arm, pulling back the sheet to set him in the bed. With a sigh, Link settled in the cold bed, as I tucked the blanket up to him. Standing back I frowned, _drugged so quickly that he didn't even last the whole festival!_ With an irritated smile I went over to the fireplace. "I might as well build a fire. I don't want him to freeze to death."

Kneeling by the gaping hearth, I placed wood inside and began to start a fire. Minutes later, the flames roared and I knelt back on my heels. I watched it for a while, sighing softly as it warmed my chilled face and hands.

Getting to my feet, I turned and stopped suddenly, startled to see Link standing behind me. He looked exhausted, and drugged, but unbelievably adorable. In his left hand he held his sheet, which he'd dragged over from the bed and his right hand rubbed at a bleary eye. He looked up at me, blinking slowly, _Ganon? What happened? Didn't you need to…see me for something?_ He looked around, _and didn't I fall asleep in another room?_

"Ah…you did, but you went to a festival, remember?"

A very blank look and then, _Oh, yeah. I remember. That wasn't a dream?_

"No. It wasn't." I stepped towards him, gently guiding him to sit on the bed. He did so, crossing his legs and sitting like a shaman. I slid onto the bed myself, on leg over the side and the other curled under me. "You need to rest."

_But Ganon, I had this dream I have to tell you… Farore warned me in a dream about ah… about… umm… This!_ He unbuckled his charmed choker and handed it to me. _Something I can't do with this on. What is it? Do you know?_

I took the necklace and looked it over. "Well, it's a protection against Poe's I know that." Flipping it over, I read the back. My eyes bulged as I gaped at the runic symbols burned in silver there. My mouth had gone dry, like a mistreated oasis. I could not speak for a moment and then I swallowed and found my voice, saying, "I'm not sure what it means." I handed it back to him, thinking, _oh mother, what have you done now?_

He stared up at me, his crystalline blue eyes curious. He didn't know I was lying to him! He flashed a bright smile and took the necklace. For a moment, I was so stunned by his absolute innocence that I could not release the cloth for a moment. When I did, he tipped his head to the side and down to put it back on, his hair slipping into his face.

I lifted his chin, taking the necklace back, acting on impulse when I said, "Wait and let me help you." His bright eyes are on my face again. His hands release the blue cloth and fall into his lap. "Remember, you need to wear this because it protects you from the Poes, alright?"

_Right._ _The Poes._ I could feel his shiver of fear at the word.

I slid the cloth through the buckle and then hesitated, my fingers by his neck, under his chin… I licked my lips, carefully trying not to look at those soft, supple lips so pale and soft looking and warm, yes I remember they are warm and… damn, I was trying _not_ to think of them.

My attention was grabbed violently away when Link grabbed my hands and his blue eyes got a desperate sheen as he looked up at me and pleaded, _I'll be safe here? Just with this little necklace? How can you be sure? I have these dreams and sometimes I can feel them so close and so…_

"Hush." I put a finger over his lips and murmured, "Link, you're still drunk and just a little paranoid because of that stupid dream. Calm down. Take a breath. Just a moment, calm down…"

He did, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. His white fingers, curled tightly around my mine, dig into my flesh. He lowered his face, I felt his forehead on my palms and the shiver that rippled through his body ended there. To my astonishment, he began to weep softly; his shoulders trembling and his quick, short breaths on my skin telling me so. He cried over my hands for a while, before I could pull them from under him. As I did, he pulled up, his tears pouring down his cheeks, his sapphire eyes shining from them.

_I thought that this would be so different than it is. I thought that you would be so horrible and lock me up, because you're the Bad Guy and that is what the Bad Guy does! I thought that I would die so painfully after being tortured. But this… this kindness that you show me…the freedom that I have here and Epona… It doesn't make any sense to me! Why are you being like this? Why!?_ His hands clutched at my tunic, his eyes wide as he questioned me.

I put my arms around him and I pulled him against me. I didn't dare say anything for fear that I might say the wrong thing. One of my hands held his back, flat in the middle and spread out wide to hold him against me. The other cupped the back of his head, some of the fingers sliding under the soft golden locks of hair. He pressed his face to my tunic and sobbed. I held him gently, leaning my head down and softly pressing my lips to the top of his head.

Time passed, somehow he slid into my lap completely, still crying for who knows why and I continued to hold him. I suppose he stopped eventually, because his body didn't shake anymore and his breathing was normal… He kept leaning against me though, his cheek against my chest, his ear pressed to me, as if listening to my heartbeat. I bit my lip; I could not last forever with him like this against me. I was a strong man, full of power, will and determination, but I was still a man and I wanted Link badly. Very badly… and this was getting to be too much…

Taking a deep breath to steady myself I gently pushed him back from me. Startled, he looked up, _what is it?_

"I have to… I have to go, Link. I do." I carefully pried his hands from my tunic, sliding back and off the bed. "You need to sleep, alright? Just lay down and rest…you should be fine now…"

He nodded, but he didn't look happy. He looked at me with doleful eyes, _Alright… Goodnight…_

Goddess, he looked so terribly vulnerable…my heart and my loins throbbed for him. "Goodnight Link." I stepped forward, compelled by his expression and kindly pressed him into the mattress. I pulled the covers up around him and stopped, hesitating for a single moment before I leaned over and placed my lips on his forehead in an affectionate kiss. Straightening back up, I saw his blush briefly before I excused myself and quickly left him alone in his room.

-------------

In the hallway, I leaned against the wall, gasping for air like a man near suffocation. _Like a filly,_ I reminded myself, _he's like an abused filly. Expecting pain. Expecting bad things. Take time… Take your time…_

I bit my lip to keep my mouth shut so I would not curse loudly and yell in my suppressed frustration. _Time…he needs time. That's all he needs…I can do this. I can do whatever it takes. I've gotten this far…_

I took a deep breath. Then another. And another. I paced up and down the hallway, getting control of myself, or at least a semblance thereof. With a hushed growl I strode down the passage way into the depths of my fortress, making my way to my dungeon. I needed to let out some of my irritation…and there was only one safe outlet right now…

Deeper into the belly of my fortress, until the chill of the air was so solid that no fire could cut through it for long and where the darkness edged in around from every side… I walked in the pitch black with ease and confidence; these pathways are mine and mine alone. I know them better than any gerudo could.

The door I came to I expected and I had pulled out my key already. Unlocking the door I pushed it inside and followed its path. I closed and locked the door behind me, putting the keys on the hook by the door. A snap of my fingers and the torches lit. A row of cages lined one side of the wall, at the light, the people and creatures inside of them came to the front, or back, of their prison. One of them, a young gerudo thief, by the name of Yutella, knelt by the bars. She reached out, pleading with a cracked voice, "My lord… my lord… my lord…"

She wept, as she always did when I arrived, begging forgiveness.

Finally, I tired of her words. "Shut up wench!" I spun, conjuring and flinging a pot at her cage. It shattered and pieces of clay sprayed everywhere around her. "You shut up about your pathetic self!"

She whimpered, bleeding from several small cuts.

I stared hard at her, she was getting on my nerves even more tonight… There had to be some way to get rid of her for good… I smiled; a hard and deadly smile. She cried out anew but my mind was made up.

I went to the other side of the room, lined in bookshelves and cabinets. I found a particular book and flipped through it. This spell I didn't use often, and needed a little bit of referencing on… I paused on the page and smiled again. Setting the book on the table in the middle of the room, I walked to her cage.

Unlocking the door with a wave of my hand, I snatched her out and dragged her begging body across the floor. I tied her to the table, fumbling with the bands for a moment as I red the pages from afar. Next I gathered the ingredients to the spell and arranged them accordingly.

She whimpered as I force open her mouth and gave her a draft of a foul tasting potion. She gagged and spat up most of it, but she got what she needed. Chanting over her I washed a necklace with my magic and spelled it. Placing it around her neck I smiled. Leaning over, to look her in the frightened eye I said, "You're going to complete one mission for me, sweet child. You're going to bring me the men who tricked me with the honey. You're going to bring them to me and you are going to do it quickly and quietly. And when you're done, you're going to go out into the desert, as soon as you've delivered them, and you're going to take off this necklace and throw it into a fire. And then you are going to throw yourself into the fire and you are going to die."

Bright tears in her eyes as she listened and the magic absorbed. She shook her head, pleading with me. "No… Please… no…"

"Hush now…" I stroked her matted hair gently. "Hush… you'll leave in the morning. Wash up and look nice, get food from the cook and one of the horses and then you're going to go do your last mission."

She wept and shook her head, her voice lost in her terror.

I grinned at her as I untied her, "Bring me those men, Yutella, bring me those bastards who tricked me…" I could not help but chuckle at my own tactful and practical vengeance.

* * *

**Hee hee**

Ganon is still Ganon! in love or not, he is still an evil warlord!

xD

remember, review help your friends stay out of dungeons! because if you don't review, Ganon will come and kidnap them while they sleep! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

JK! ganon's to busy with his 'filly'! lol!


	12. Link's Festival Activities Aren't Over!

**Disclaimer: **i don't own teh zelda peoples!

hokay, dis is da thing: MERRY CHRISTMAS (orwhaterver else it is to you) to you people who luff me!!! xD This is totally my present to ya'll cuz i love you and i love this story! lol!

I hope ya'll like it because it's FREAKING LONG! lol. i luff it xD i just couldn't stop but i had to... so ... HERE YA'LL GO. lol i totally pwn'd this time...**

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**Chapter 12**

**In Which I had Lots of Fun Writing This Chapter (seriously)**

jk it's really called

**Festival Hangovers and, oh looky, Ganon's Food!**

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**Link**

I awoke, groggy and with my brain throbbing inside my skull like the pounding of Goron drums. I lay in my bed, felling strangely worn out. What had happened yesterday? What had happened last night? There was a dream…fires…dancing…music… wine? There was a festival… right? Augh, my head…

I rolled over, burrowing into my covers and pillow and closing my eyes again. I'll just sleep until the pain wears off, then I can figure out what happened and … zzzz zzzz

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**Ganon**

"Mother, what in the hell are you planning with him! I saw the runes on the choker, and Link had a dream from Farore warning him about it! You should have asked me before you did something like that!" I fumed in my office, pacing back and fourth as she sat placidly in the chair before my desk.

"Era received guidance from the Goddess while we were making the charm. It is Her wishes, not mine and not yours, that I follow, Ganon." Sukrabella said calmly.

I paced a bit more, then stopped at the window. "Come in Era."

She giggled as she entered my office. "You always can tell when I'm about, brother."

I turned, glaring at her and replied, "You don't exactly hide it now do you?"  
"I suppose." Her eyes twinkled myschieviously.

"But you did hide that spell from me… on Link's collar. I thought I said that I wished to be informed BEFORE something happened to him, not afterwards." I felt the anger rushing in my blood and growling in my throat.

Era giggled and Mother admonished, standing, "Ganondorf, apologize to your sister! You should know better than that! She is a prophetess, and thus is highly regarded in the Goddess's Courts."

I turned away, biting back my sneer and snarl. I cleared my throat and replied, "Right."

Era skipped to my side, I could hear her soft shoes _pat-patt_ing on the floor. She touched my arm and whispered, "Sorry I surprised you, brother. But we didn't plan it. The Goddess just decided it on her own, you know how it is…"

I knew I was pouting when I said, "You got him drunk last night… and now this… what am I going to do to him? It's hard to look at him without imagining him like…_that._" I sighed and shook my head. "Era, sister dear, what am I going to tell him? How will I explain to him when… when… Goddess above, when he's starts _growin'_!"

Mother joined my sister's laughter and I felt my face burn in embarrasment and was grateful for the dark color of my skin. Finally, sister spoke, there was a leer in her voice, "Will he have reason to grow yet? I thought you were still workin' on the filly."

I grit my teeth. "Era, dammit, keep your head out of mine! My thoughts are my own!"

She laughed lightly as mother said, "Son, you can't just do him and have it happen, there is this whole ritual that has to happen, the spell alone wont do it. There is a spiritual element to it as well. You're _creating_ a new _life_! Soul included. You need the Goddess's blessing and Her spell to do it."

If I could have blanched, I would have, as it was, if felt my stomach drop to my knees and dangle there on a tight tether. "Mother," I turned to face her, "Are you telling me that we have to… perform together in a _ceremony?_"

"Something like that." She shrugged. "Era's still getting the details from the Goddess. But we do know that the ritual has to occur on a full moon, to get the full blessings of the Fertillity Potion of the Goddess."

Oh yes… the Fertillity Potion of the Goddess… "Then what did you give him last night?"

Era winked at me, "The first one. He needs quite a few, 'cos he's so tiny… that is if you want him to survive a birthin'!"

Oh Goddess save me, my sister is evil!

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**?Mystery?**

Walking slowly across the desert…

Can't see

Can't breathe

So dry

So parched…

Such a lousy word…

Oh… my breath my laugh it hurts…

Stumbling again, the hard packed earth… drier than …than….

Dryer than me… but just barely…

The flapping of my feet on the hard ground…I wish… I wish…

I wish it were the slither of sand underneath me again… sliding dunes were easier than this place…

So hot… my skin… my skin is red… and blisters? Ohh ouch they hurt…

My tongue is swollen, thick and heavy in my mouth.

Stumble stumble, fall… skin my knee, sluggish blood.

I sit down and suck on my knee… so bony thin… its all _his _fault! Its all HIS fault! Blood is strong in my mouth….

I get back on my feet. Vengance! Hatred! Love! Rage! These I am walking for… I have to save him… I have to save him from that _monster_!

Or I will die trying!

Goddessess… I don't want to die now…

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**Link**

When I awoke again, my head didn't hurt as much anymore and I felt really hungry. I pushed myself up, shaking my head a little and licking my dry lips. _Ew, drool! Yuck! _I slid out of my bed, there beside it was a bowl of water and I put my hand in it. It was gloriously cool and I washed my whole face. Drying it on my sheet I slid out of my bed and found my feet still shod with my sandals.

I stared at them for a while and then peeled them off. Kicking them under my bed, I went in search of new clothes, and possibly a tub to wash in.

Ten minutes and one room later, I sat in a tub of water in one of the rooms down the Men's Wing. There were bubbles everywhere and was putting thme on my face like a big white beard. The water was just perfectly hot and my burn scars actually eased on my back, loosening my skin instead of pulling it together as it had been for a while.

I slipped down in, putting my feet up on the other side and laughing as they were covered in soap bubbles. I laughed quietly and wiggled them. Suddenly, a loud hissing sound erupted from around the room and it was filled with steam. With a yelp I pulled my feet back in and sat up, looking around, but unable to see in the growing mist.

A door opened. And then I remembered…_there was more than one tub in here!_

And then, _I'm in the Men's Wing… there is only one other man here!_

And finally, _I still don't remember what happened last night!_

_But that doesn't matter_, I thought to myself. I absently heard footsteps into the room.

_Oh yes it does! What if you DID something? What if you made a FOOL of yourself?_

I winced, _I don't want that…_The door shut, and, with a snap, it was locked.

_See? It does matter!_

I nodded my head. _Alright._ A dark shape walking through the mist. I went down in my water, down to my nose and ears and watched the ominous shape go past me. I was suddenly very glad I had picked the smaller tub and not the largest, as my little self-indulgent voice wanted to, _wouldn't be so bad!_ He pipped up.

_HUSH!_ I told him.

The sound of water displacing around a body… and then an inquisitive noise followed by, "Bubbles?"

I winced again, I'd been blowing bubbles all around the room before he came in… some of them must have gotten into his tub…

The deep voice whispered cautiously. "Link?"

I yelped at how smoothly my name came from his mouth, even though I was under water, and subsiquently got bubbles in my mouth. Sputtering and splashing a bit, I gasped for breath and sat as far away as I could in my tub.

He muttered something and I felt a small breeze in the room. Shivering, I slid back down so my shoulders were covered and the mist quickly moved out of the way. There he was, sitting in the larger tub, staring at me inquisitively, his left hand dismissing the wind and the right hand holding soap. He looked surprised to see me.

I'm sure I looked surprised too. I raised a hand and slowly waved my fingers at him, giving him a bashful smile. There were bubbles all over my hand. In fact, there were bubbles all over me.

He laughed and I blushed. Did his stare always make me feel so vulnerable? Did his laugher always make me feel so…squiggly inside?

He shifted in his bath, setting aside the soap and putting his arms over the side of his tub nearest to mine. "Good afternoon Link, did you sleep well?"

I nodded then paused, _afternoon?_

"Yes. I assume you slept of the hangover."

_Hangover?_

He sighed, but he didn't look irritated, "Last night at the festival you were given a large goblet of wine…you drank the whole thing and became quite drunk really fast. So fast that I took you up to your room almost immediately afterwards. Then I put you to bed. That much wine, well, that much _strong_ wine would have even given me a hangover. So I am assuming that you slept it off today."

_That was the pain in my head? Feels like a thousand horses running around in my head during a thunderstorm?_

He nodded. "That's a hangover, yes." He chuckled and I smiled a little. His laughter sounded nice…

"Thank you."

For a moment I didn't realize what he meant, and then, _You can read my face?!_

He tilted his head to the side, "I have to…to understand you."

_But…my thoughts even… the things I don't mean to say…_

He smirked, his lips turning up in a delightfully smug way, "Yes. Even those."

I felt the blush on my cheeks and I turned away, my very thoughts were not safe around this man! I covered my cheeks and closed my eyes, but I could still feel him watching me… I could still feel his orange eyes sliding down my neck and to my shoulder and back… up my arm… to my hands. I turned and glared at him, _Stop looking at me like that!_

"Like what?"

_Like…like…like I'm some jar of honey or something!_

He laughed again, shivers rippled down my arms and I ducked down to my shoulders in the water again, hoping the warm water would erase them off my skin.

"But Link," he replied smoothly, his eyes closing slightly and a smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he puts his chin on his folded arm, "Link you are my honey pot."

I couldn't breathe. Did he… did he just say that? Did he _mean_ that!? Did he just say that AND mean it? A sort of quivering jelly feeling filled my stomach and my mouth was dry. I started shivvering, what could that mean, what did that mean?!

He pulled back, biting his lip and saying, "Sorry, Link… I'm sorry I said that, I just … I …" I saw him looking for the right words to say and, for some reason, that calmed me. As if he had been trying something and praying for the best.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, brushing hair out of my face I gave him a soft half-smile. _It's alright. _

He smiled back and relaxed. With a shrug he picked up the soap again and said, "There is another festival tonight, well another part of one…"

It was a sharp topic change, but that was fine with me.

He began to wash himself and I turned away to do the same, although, for some really strange reason, I felt almost compelled to watch him. "You'll probably be the guest of honor again, but you won't be presented wine. Tonight it is the Fruit of our Labors, and you'll get a special fruit to eat. Otherwise, it should be the same…"

I nodded and sighed, _I don't want to get drunk like that again_.

He laughed and replied, "Oh, you probably will though. The girls like getting people drunk. Especially pretty young men."

That dry-mouth-squiggly-stomach-and-now-heart-pounding-feeling came back to me. After a moment I laughed nervously and nodded, _Well, alright then…_before looked away to industriously scrub at my toes. Talking in the bath with Ganon was sure… bizarre.

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**Ganon**

He left the bath before me, Link did, draining the tub and getting out while I, ah, had my back turned. Out of the tub he grabbed a towel and I glanced over just before he finished putting it on. The white cloth clung tightly to his slim, pale frame and cover just what needed to becovered for general decency. Just before he left the room, he stopped and glanced over his shoulder at me, on his face I could clearly read, _I wish I could read your face like you read mine, Ganon._

I shrugged, "Work on it, Link. You just might."

And then he, and all his perfect slender glory vanished out the door. I sighed and leaned back, staring at the ceiling and muttering under my breath,"Almost ruined it there Ganon, being to forward…Scared him so bad he almost choked on his own tongue. But… still… he saved the day and nothing was too damaged." I chuckled to myself, "Even made it better than it was before, the damn Hero in him acting up. Suppose I could count on that… but I should have been more careful."

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**Link**

With a jar of honey tucked under my arm, I scampered bare foot through the compound. I felt like I was getting lost still, even though I had wandered these halls before. Finally, I found the doors to a side exit and I peeked out from around the door. A few women walking by, chatting and holding spears. Their clothes seemed more elaborate than normal. Even their weapons seemed fancier. My eyes widened as I realized, they were in their clothing for the festival, wearing scarves and with ribbons on the heads of their spears. Tinkling metal around their hips and wrists and ankles…

I swallowed dryly, their festivals were… scary. I dreaded going to the one tonight… Licking my lips I pushed the door open and walked out. None of them made any attempt to come over to me and aprehend me, but several if not all, glanced over at me. I walked to the stables, finding it easily, (it was the only building by the wooden fenced corral). Epona hung out with a few other horses by a watering hole under a tree. She looked different too. Her tail had been pleated with ribbon and a bell rang when she swished it from side to side. Her mane had smaller braids in it, also with ribbon, but no bell. She felt me coming and got up, trotting over to where I stood on the fence.

_Ah, the Hero emerges! How are you? Mm, you smell nice,_ she wuffled my hair and hands as I petted her nose.

_Oh, I'm alright. I took a bath today. How are you? How do you feel? _

_Clean and pretty. _She turned a circle, head and tail raised, _How do I look?_

_Beautiful._ I pat her neck and shoulders and smiled. _You rope some poor girl into fixing up your hair?_

She snorted and tossed her head, giving me an indignant look with one of her brown eyes, _She offered to do it, you scoundrel. I didn't know that they would, but it's nice._

I kissed her forehead, _It is very nice._

She nosed my jar of honey, _come to share or just show off?_

I laughed a little, _I have jars of the stuff, I'd love to share with you…_I swung over the fence, so I was standing with my back against the wood and my feet on the bottom rung, and she stood in front of me. With a careful leap, I got one leg over her back and settled there, gripping her mane in one hand and my jar in the other. She carried me acros the small field of, quite possibly, magical grass and over to the watering hole.

Kneeling there, she let me off and I sat in front of her. Several horses gathered around, curious at the sight of me. I opened the jar and stuck my fingers in it, twirling them to gather the honey before lifting them out for Epona to suck on.

She did so and whinnied at the sweetness of it. _This is different than the kind back home._

I nodded, _yes, it is stronger and richer. I like it better. _

After licking my fingers clean she released them and nodded, _I do too._ Wipping my hand on my pant leg, I stuck them in the honey again and ate some myself. Sitting here in the shade on a hot day, er afternoon, with Epona and a pot of honey… It didn't feel like prison right now…if it ever had at all…

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**?Mystery?**

A shadow falling over me…

Falling to my knees I can't stand it anymore… my legs are going to fall off, my skin is peeling off already…

Strange sounds…more than the howling wind and cries of buzzards. All around me they are floating like clouds.

But the clouds are gone. The sun has dried up the clouds. The sun has dried up the ground. The sun has dried up_ me_.

Nothing can live in this goddess forsaken place… this is why I have to save him…

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**Link**

The festival set up was like the night before (that I remembered after talking with Epona today) except that the middle square was a bright orange instead of navy. Ganon, finding me about dinner time, made me go back to my room to find fresh clothes to wear. Now he stood at my side as the opening chanting, dancing and singing of the women grew to a hush. He pushed me forward with a hand to the small of my back.

I felt their eyes on me again and I slowly walked across the sand. That strange girl stood, waiting for me, holding a reddish-pink fruit in her hands. It must have been as large as my own fist and she held it like it was a sacred item.

Kneeling as I came towards her, she raised the fruit up and said, her soft voice carrying throughout the camp, just over the soft thrumming of the drums, "As the Honored Guest and the most needing of the Goddess's Blessing, you must eat of the fruit of her Feast to begin the celebration and to receive the Blessing." I took the fruit from her hands and closed my eyes before biting into it.

Sweet explosions of juice and fruit flesh filled my mouth and sent shivers ricocheting all throughout my body. Swallowing the first mouthful, I hungrilly took another and another, eatting it faster than I had anything in the world. I ate so fast that I was stared dumbly at my empty hands, shocked that it could possibly be gone so quickly.

Again Ganon stood at my side, this time he held out a shallow dish and he was grinning, "You've got juice… well, you've got juice everywhere, Link."  
I washed my face quickly, blushing at my sloppy eatting. Meanwhile, the priestess had raised her hands in a triumphant shout and the dancing and music had begun again. She melted back into the ring of white robed women as more brought food to me and Ganon while even others danced in shimmering and glittering splashes of color. Ganon and I sat on the cloth, given bits of that and pieces of this to eat.

Cheeses, meats, breads, crackers, raw and cooked vegetables, fruits and any number of other things filled plates around us and Ganon ushered me to eat to my content. Which I gladly did. Tender meats and smooth cheeses. Bright juicy fruit and crisp raw vegetables. Tiny spicy crustations and large sugar-encrusted sweets. Bits of this and tastes of that. It was all rather magnificent.

After a while the women stopped coming and Ganon and I were left alone to eat. He picked at his food, seeming to be nervous as he sat there. He was picking at a particularly good looking many legged shell-fish when I reached over and plucked it right out of his hand.

His eyes grew enormous as he watched me pop the whole thing in my mouth.

While chewing it, I grinned at him, _Too slow._

For a moment, he seemed to be thinking this over. Then he smiled, a slowly spreading and very menacing look. Deliberately, his hand crossed in front of me and picked up a carefully iced minature cake with a large flower of sugar on top of it. My own eyes bugged out of my head as I saw him put the whole thing into his waiting open mouth.

He closed his mouth around it and began to chew. I heard the crunching of the flower in his mouth and my jaw dropped. _You FIEND!_

He laughed, bits of cake sputtering out of his mouth as he tried to stop. "Oh, Goddess, your face!" he laughed, holding his stomach and turning away. When he did I reached across from him and took three cakes and two green and cresent shaped fruit from him. Hoarding these away from him, I gobbled the cake and fruits.

He stole meat from me, taking a leg of some poultry and sticking it in his mouth. When he pulled the bone out, that was all that came, none of the meat remained. He did this again before he ate some of my yellow vegetables.

Indignant, I snatched a small plate of shrimpies from his hand and ate them as fast as I could. He laughed again and reached around my back to a cake I had hidden beside my leg. His knuckles brushed along my thigh and that strange dry-mouth-squiggly-stomach-and-heart-pounding-feeling flashed over my body. Instinctively I lurched away from his hand, crashing, instead, right into his side. For a moment I clung like that, trying to swallow the mouthful of pastry I had and breathing heavily through my nose. Oh yes, and I gripped his shirt very tightly, even though I had not let go of the cheese and cracker in my hand.

I stared down at the offending hand as it continued to its goal, stealing the cake and bringing it up to Ganon's mouth. His arm, however, came across me and its warmth and presence made me suddenly very aware that I was practically _surrounded_ by Ganon.

When his arm didn't move I looked up and saw him looking down at me, his dark face and bright eyes unreadable in the firelight. The drumming beat seemed to be coming from my heart and not the ring of drums around us and it pounded in my ears like the sound of rolling thunder. I gasped for breath (around the cake) but could not breath.

Then something amazing happened… or maybe it didn't because it seemed to be a dream. It was hazy and muzzy and my senses were dull, as they often are in dreams (although admittedly they seem to be sharp sometimes too). But this is what I dreamt happened:

Ganon lowered his face down, his lips brushing over mine, his mouth open and I felt the strangest thing…but… I can't be sure as I closed my eyes when he touched me. It felt like his tongue in my mouth, which sounds gross, but isn't and then he was kissing me. Tongue and lips and his hand on my head, his arm around me…

And his tongue, oh goddesses his _tongue_. It _stole_ my cake! He took it right out of my mouth! All of it! He even licked around, to get it all and sent these crazy shivers and bumps all over my body as I quivered at the crazy sensation.

Then he pulled back, just enough so our lips no longer touched, but not so far that I couldn't feel his breath on my skin. I opened my eyes slightly and closed my mouth. Ganon gave me a smug grin and swallowed… _swallowed_ my cake! ALL OF IT!

I wanted to growl at him, kissing me for my cake! But there was a look in his eyes, something deeper than just victory in our childish game, something more… sincere. So I didn't growl but I did pout and slide away from him. I instictively reached for a goblet of wine, which I had strickly stayed away from and, just as my fingers grabbed the gold encrusted goblet, I felt his hand on my hip. He pulled me back to his side, one hand cupping my face and the other on my backside, dangerously and seductively close to my arse. I held the goblet in both hands, trembling slightly, and uncertain what would happen.

He gave the softest of smiles and whispered to me, "You going to share the wine too?"

_You have your own goblet, don't you?_ I glanced down, yes, he did. It was silver too. And right beside him.

He released my chin and took my cup, ignoring me, and drank from the cup, even while I held it. His gold eyes watched me from over the rim, tempting and warning at the same time. I felt like I was trapped, I felt like I had two choices and I wasn't sure what they were. My breath came quickly, my heartbeat faster, and I couldn't feel or see or hear or taste or _smell_ anything but him.

As I realized this, this trap, this overwhelming man, I felt like I was in over my head, _way_ over my head. Had I ever been in it this deep before? Had I ever gotten so stuck that I couldn't do anything at all?

Timed spun to a stop around me as a voice snapped, _Yes you have_, this voice, speaking from back of my head, was the one I thought I had left in Zelda's throne room; the one I had thought I left behind in Hyrule, _you have gotten this stuck before. Except you could __**always**__ do something. You can always fight! You should fight this man right now, you should fight and escape. Kill him and get away, he's dragging you down a road that you can __**never**__ return from, Link, he's dragging you down it and won't stop unless you __**KILL HIM!**_

My body stiffened at the internal command. I looked and saw past Ganon, blue eyes fixing past him, past the dancers, past the fire, past the priestesses…all the way to Epona. She watched from the corral. She watched with plaited hair and bells and soft hair and gentle eyes. What had she said to me what had she lovingly told me as we sat in the corral and ate honey together?

_**((Link, I'm glad that we're not fighting anymore**_

_**Why Epona?**_

_A gentle brushing of her nose against my face,__** well…because… you seem so much happier now. You seem healthier now. And, frankly, I don't think you could have remained the same man if you had actually killed Lord Ganon. **_

_I had said nothing for a moment and she continued, __**Plus, I've been treated better here than I ever was at home… I'm almost a person to these people. I love it here, Link. And I love what this place has done to you. It's made you kind again. Yes you were always kind, but now… now you are not preyed upon by every concievable monster and more. Now you are safe and it shows in your walk and on your face.))**_

How could that horse be so right? I was safe here…it was no trap for my soul. There was not trap for my death…Just festival antics…

That voice in the back of my head recoiled and I felt time spin back into life around me.

Holding the goblet tightly with my hands, I put it to my lips and tipped it back. The wine filled my mouth and throat and slithered down to my stomach. I tipped it back and back, finishing the deep bowl of the goblet at one time.

Before the drunken sweetness fully settled in my stomach and my mind, that seething voice hissed, _You little fool_, right in the back of my skull. Then the pink haze of roses and warm drink filled my vision as I tried to pour more wine and giggled doing so.

**TBC**

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See? i could just keep on goin... lol

I'ma do christmas evey things now! xD happy holiday s ya'll!

creativechilde

(reviews are like presents you can give all year! and sometimes giving them is the best part of the present... so... GIVE ME REVIEWS FOR CHRISTMAS! please and thank you! XD)


	13. Chance for Romance!

Right, so… I realized that Ganon only bought like, 50 g of honey (lamo) but that there were cases of the stuff in Link's special honey room.

Obviously, Ganon went somewhere else to get honey(not just Markov the Scammer) and not only that I've decided that he _really_ got, ummm, 200 g of honey from Markov. And he paid 175g platinum for it (which is a lot of plat for the amount of honey). Sorry about the strange randomness of this last bit, I just needed to have it clear that's what _really_ happened. I like to keep my facts straight but still mess up (cuz I have no beta…sniffle). Anyway, onto the story and sorry its so short!

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**Chapter 13**

**Chance for Romance**

**Ganon**

He looked up at me, smiling hugely with wine stained red lips. It was about here that I realized, _Link cannot handle any sort of alcohol, at all, __**ever. **_Not that that was a horribly bad thing in general, but was particularly bad when what he did now, what he wanted now he didn't know he wanted, yet, in his conscious mind.

He only subconsciously wanted me. Which wasn't good enough for me. To his drunken, and my girls', dismay. I detangled him from my body, sighing in annoyance and getting to my feet. Plus, he mashed cheese into my shirt, the foolish boy…

I helped him to his feet, rather, hauled him up and held him there. But he wouldn't stay, but swayed and laughed on his feet so I _had _to carry him. I swung him up over my shoulder and rolled my eyes, hauling him out like a drunken sack of tubers. But I have to admit, it was bloody good fun having his thigh so close to my face and his crotch pressed into my shoulder, even if he did put his elbows up on my back, which hurt a little.

Some of the women laughed as we left, others clapped and wolf whistled, but I did not look at them. Link, on the other hand, laughed merrily and waved at them. _Goddess, I pray that he does not get addicted. I could not stand him as a drunk, for I fear he is a flirtatious one! _I cast my eyes heaven-ward for a moment before entering my fortress.

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**Ganon**

I took him to his room, setting him down inside the door and steadying him with an hand on his shoulder. He looked smilingly up at me, _what fun that party is! _He hiccupped and swayed a little.

"Yes," I replied, turning him towards his bed, "and now you have to sleep, Link."

_Sleep!_ He looked over his shoulder at me in astonishment, _Now? Why? I c'n stay up allll night if I hafta! _He stumbled over his feet and I grabbed him up off the floor with a sigh.

"Yes, if you have to, but you don't. You can go to bed."

He giggled, his head shaking side to side and his soft blonde hair whipping about his face like a flag in a windstorm. Then he stopped suddenly, his body going rigid in my grip as his eyes fixated on the fireplace. A whimper, from the back of his throat instinctively made me hold him tightly against my chest. I looked over to the fireplace, but only saw burning embers.

He shuddered, his small hands clutched my upper arms so intently that I felt them biting into my flesh. From his profile, lit by the embers he stared at, I could read this:

_Dead man, killed a man, __**he deserved it**__NO! no one deserves to die! No one no one! I killed him goddesses why…? Killed him hurt another…__**The blade was wonderful in your hand, not the best but**__ SHUT UP!_

I couldn't stand the torture he was doing to himself, I turned his head to face me, met his gaze and whispered the only thing I could think of that would stop his destructive thoughts, "Link, Link listen…I love you."

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**?Mystery?**

When I awoke again, I was moving, but not from my own stumbling. The sky was dark above me…except it was canvas, not sky and light streamed in from the front of the wagon. A woman knelt beside me, she helped me sit up, soft rustling and crinkling filling my ears as I look down at my hands.

Bandaged…head to foot I see as I whip off my blanket. The woman hands me a leather container and motions for me to drink. Wary, I do, but it just tastes of water.

The woman smiles and takes it away. She pushes down on my shoulders, trying to get me to lay down. Begrudgingly, I do.

I need to gather my strength to save him…

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**Yutella**

I found the caravan with little ease, and, sitting upon my sandy mare, I waited for them to come to me. As they did I saw a man ride ahead, looking like any desert trader except for the copper wired glasses on his face. He rode up on his black horse, but stopped several feet ahead of me.

"You're here from Lord Ganon because of the honey."

I nodded. "Lord Ganondorf wishes me to bring him the one who scammed him with the honey."

The man nodded. "You are looking for Markov." His eyes glinted behind his glasses as he remarked, "I knew he would be caught."

"And I am to believe that you took no part in this transaction?"

"I knew about it, but at the time, Markov was higher in rank than I." He smirked, "But with the rumor that he'll be out of commission soon…" the man shrugged, "My place is not so unstable anymore."

"Mmm." I nudged my horse forward, "I suppose you'll gladly show me where he is then?"

This time the man just smiled and turned his horse to lead the way.

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**?Mystery?**

Their leader came to speak with me, a thin man with a graying beard. The beard had beads braided into it and flints of metal. The man scrutinized me with first one eye and then the other. "Eh? Yer're not from around 'ere."

I stared at him, waiting for a real question.

"Where are ye from? Whatcha doin' 'ere?"

I pulled out a sketch from my shirt and showed it to the man, without letting go of the picture. "I am looking for this man. He is a true blooded warrior, a hero and can strike down any man or beast by himself. Have you seen him? He has been captured by a dark man with orange hair, tall and beastly."

The man leaned back in recognition of the evil wizard's description. "Eh…I haven't 'eard of yer 'ero. But your beastly man…'e's Lord Ganon of the West Desert Province. 'e's got yer 'ero nipped?"

"It was a foolish move, my hero fights but doesn't always think. I've gone after him under royal decree." I sneered and the man arched an eyebrow.

"O' course."

"You don't believe me? Here is my proof!" I pulled out a leather booklet, where Princess Zelda had put her magical seal. The golden wax glistened and shifted in design, from insignia to seal and back. "The Princess of Hyrule sent me after the Hero of Hyrule because he is too noble and too virtuous to break from a self-destructing contract on his own!"

The man's other eyebrow rose to the middle of his wrinkled forehead, "Ye plan to take yer 'ero from a contract 'e made wid the Mage Lord of Dragon Heights? The sunfire's cooked yer mind, child. 'e's stuck."

"Not stuck. He just doesn't know where to or how to escape. All he needs is a chance. He can do anything, I told you already, old man. The Hero of Hyrule can defeat any monster, any man and any beast that is thrown to him! Nothing can best him!" My fury at his stupidity clipped my words and snapped them out of my mouth like a horsewhip.

"A'ight." He put up a hand and I backed away from him, still trembling with my fists clenched. "I c'n see ye to a wagon that'll take ye closer to the Mage. 's the best I c'n do."

"That is satisfactory." I folded my arms across my chest and relaxed my anger.

"So just rest yerself 'nd Echa'll fetch summat for ye to eat 'nd drink." He left me, talking briefly to the woman watching me, Echa presumably.

I lay back on the cloth that served as my bed and stared at the wagon's canvass. Close…so close…

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**Yutella**

My escort, Rayel, took me straight to the scammer, Markov. Markov, not expecting me at all, was stunned when I rounded the back of a wagon. His chins quivered as he tried to speak. Rayel smiled genially at him, clapping him on the shoulder and said, "Of all the people you swindled, I thought you'd be smarter than to swindle a mage."

Markov whimpered, his little piggish eyes squinting to see me and then widening as he saw my colors. I wore gold, navy and white, the official Gerudo colors. He made a noise close to squealing and dismounted to fall at my feet. "Please! Spare my life! Oh please!"

He blubbered and jiggled. He sniveled and joggled. All over my right shoe. I scrunched my nose up at him and kicked him back, knocking him onto his back. Straightening my back I commanded him, "Get your fat ass off the ground and onto the back of your poor horse! You're coming with me, swindler, and you are going to see Lord Ganondorf!"

One pealing, high pitched scream and then silence as he lay there, turning red and white from embarrassment and fear. Meeting his black gaze I lowered my voice to a growl and unsheathed one scimitar from my back, "Now swine."

And he jumped up to obey. I glanced at Rayel who grinned with large, square pearls at me. As Markov struggled to mount his wretchedly tortured horse, he inched his brilliant mount towards mine and said, "Miss Yutella, it is an honor to see you work. Perhaps we will see each other again, under less… rushed circumstances?"

I wished I could smile and flirt back with the man but…I knew I could not. Stiff back and neck as I turned unforgiving eyes towards. With disdain and a definite chill to my voice I replied, "I will never see you again."

His face opened with genuine surprise as he asked, "Why not?"

Markov was ready then and I grabbed his reigns and urged my horse away from Rayel. As we bound away, I called over my shoulder, with tears in my eyes, "I am to die when I finish this task, Rayel…" and then my faithful steed lurched away with Markov's at my side.

Rayel called my name several more times before we were out of earshot, I lowered my head and kicked my horse on, afraid to look back and see him. With tears dripping from my cheeks I thought, _I suppose it is only fitting that the Goddess would give me love just before I die…_

Markov said nothing at my side.

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**?Mystery?**

The canvass flapped open suddenly and a sprig of a boy climbed in through the beam of light. "Miss! Miss! Ye git up, miss, come 'n out, da boss say so!"

I lurched to my feet and followed him out of the wagon, blinking as the bright light brought tears to my eyes. "Aye? What is it?"

The old man, on a gray horse gestured out over the dunes, "A Gerudo in transit, child. Ye get a straight to ride to yer 'ero."

I licked my cracked lips and looked out over the sand, shielding my eyes, "Yes…" The word hissed from my mouth like the slither of a desert snake. "Yesss!" Laughter boiled and burbled inside me, but I kept it trapped, not yet… but soon…

The rider turned towards the caravan and I grinned. _YES!_

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**Yutella**

A flickering code from a mirror turned my course to intersect with a caravan. Markov made no remark on my change, he looked dead already… I came up along the side of the caravan, and an elderly man came forward.

I bobbed my head in respect as he flashed a patch showing his protection from Gerudos. "What is it you've flashed for, Elder?"

"Found a spindly thing out in the pits. She of the sort that is cavorting around and mouthin' yer Mage Lord. 's my duty to turn in bothers like 'er that'll make trouble for the Mage." He gestured back towards one of his wagons. A young woman, thin and bandaged, stood at the front of a wagon, staring at me with dangerous blue eyes.

"Thank you, Elder. I will take her with me." I edged my horse closer and got a good look at her face. Probably once just a slender girl, she now was bone thin, but her lips and eyes and nose…and her strange side-of-the-head-ponytail. My eyes lit up as I recognized the girl.

_It's that crazy wench from Master Link's village! The one that tried to make him stay! _I grinned and looked at the old man, "Thank you, Elder!" _You've just saved my life!_

The girl didn't recognize me though and got on the back of my horse with a quick face of disgust. I took off with her and Markov again, grinning to myself and riding hard. _Maybe, just maybe, I can get Lord Ganondorf to spare my life and just exile me from the fortress! Blessed Goddess, thank you for your hand in my life!_

----------------**TBC**

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**hee hee hee**

don't flame me! Its scares Link! Reviews please!


	14. Kisses and Drunk Escapades

**Disclaimer:** I do not own em. i do not sell em

**Warning**: Drunkenness and makey-outy scene. along with minor violence!

**Chapter Fourteen: **

**Kisses and Drunk Escapades**

**Ganon**

He just stared at me. Wide blue eyes, not comprehending, not understanding, but still looking up at me, in me, through me… I shook him and repeated my words emphatically, "_I love you_."

A sudden breath filled his chest as he opened his mouth in a gasp. _What?_

Goddess…what do I do with this innocent child? What do I say to him!? I just reiterated, again, "I love you, Link. I really do love you."

He slipped out of my grip like water through my fingertips. Landing with a _whump_ on his slim little arse at my feet. His face turned a lovely shade red, just between sweet red-berry and silky rose. He took too deep breaths, the hollow of his throat sinking in with each swallow of air. We remained like that. Link sitting on the floor, blankly staring up at me. Myself standing silently, too lost for words as I stared at this beautifully sculpted angel at my feet.

The shadows cast from us were tall along the wall and dark, melting into the general darkness of the ceiling and the shadow of chair between the fireplace and us. And then Link moved.

He relaxed his shoulders and rolled his head back, exposing that luscious neck, and he laughed. His arms, holding up his chest, gave out and he fell onto his back, until he lay sprawled on the wood floor. He laughed and laughed, the bright tenor that put embers in my blood, bringing it to a pounding, roiling river in my body. I knelt down beside him and touched his shoulder, expecting him to burn me, but his body was cold.

He stopped laughing as soon as I touched him. His body stilled and he stared off at the ceiling. Fear chilled my blood just as fast as his erotic body had heated it and I hurriedly picked Link up so he sat. His head lulled over, from the fire to me and he blinked slowly. _I'm so cold…_His blue eyes, like liquid sapphires, pooled in a deep fear as he stretched his arm to me. _I'm cold…make the cold go away. I don't want to freeze!_

A whine, like that of a kicked dog, came from him as I encircled him in my arms again. He shivered wildly. His teeth chattered noisily. His long, pale fingers clutched at me. I picked him up and carried him to the bed, afraid of what the embers seemed to do to him. I lay him in the bed, peeling him off of myself unwillingly and wrapping him up in blankets. He continued to shiver, but lay still as I sat on his bed.

"Link…"

_So…cold…__**They**__ come when I'm cold…_

I read the horror in his eyes and I whispered, "You'll be safe Link, nothing can get you right now. You're safe here…"

_**They**__ came for me before in here…I saw them… YOU saw them!_ His eyes frantically looked from side to side.

"Link, in the desert it always gets terribly cold at night. It's not _them_, you're safe!"

His hand snaked out of the covers and grabbed mine. _You're so warm…stay the night with me. Please…_

He was asking a miracle out of me. To lay in his bed, right now, with alcohol in my belly and blood. To lay here and hold him close, just keeping him warm…To lay here, with my judgment impaired and my desires running wild…To lay here with him so close and so vulnerable that I could just pluck the fruit of his body so easily…

I sighed and closed my eyes. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his forehead. I held his hand tightly and replied gently, "I will stay." _If he needs a miracle so badly…I can manage one…_ "Just let me build the fire, Link."

He nodded and let go of my hand.

I slipped from the cream colored linen and walk to the fireplace, counting to ten in my head. Instead of manually building the fire, I tossed in several logs, some very large ones, and gave it a kick with my magic to make it roar again. Walking back to the bed, I saw his blue eyes glimmering in the firelight and nearly lost it.

But I quickly reigned in my libido, chaining it up for the night as I tugged off my shoes at the end of the bed. Climbing into the bed, I slid in under the blankets and reached out for him. He welcomed my arm, curling up underneath it and tucking his head under my chin like a small child would. I felt his slim fingers at the collar of my tunic, gripping tightly as I pressed him close with my left arm. My right bicep actually served as his pillow and I put the rest of my arm under the pillow for myself. I felt his knees at my hips, his feet near my knees, and his breath against my left arm. His cheek pressed against the back of his hands and his long ear tips drooped in soft drunken sleep.

I kissed the top of his hair and closed my eyes, at least this was a step in the right direction…sort of…

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**Link**

I felt warmth.

A strange warmth that covered my whole body.

And a smell. The smell filled my senses, I could _see_ it…well, almost. It was thick and rich. A dark mahogany color almost, except slightly more purple and brown than that… Mmm, by the goddesses it was a wonderful smell. I almost wish I could name it…

I pressed closer to the source of it. My cheek pressing against fine woven cloth and my ear catching the faint sound of a heartbeat…

Wait a minute…

_Heartbeat?_

I jerked my head away and tilted it back to look up. A sharp jarring pain accompanied the motion as something solid collided with the top of my head. The person, who's thick arms held me, grunted out the partial phrase, "…the hell?"

I pulled away farther, staring at him and feeling my eyes get wider and wider. _Goddesses save me, it's Ganondorf! _

He rubbed his chin, blinking down at me as I tried to get as far away from him as I could. His heavy arm, however, thwarted me and held me within half a foot of his chest.

"Mmmm, good morning Link."

I stopped trying to escape, getting control of myself and relaxing. _Hello…_my thoughts felt bashful as I spoke to him, glancing up at his face for a second before I looked down at my hands, to not see him anymore, and found them delightfully twisted in his tunic. Wait a second…_delightfully?_

Suddenly I was pressed against him again as he squeezed his arm around my back. I felt his breath on the top of my head, as he spoke in a slightly muffled whisper, "Do you remember anything about last night?"

_Remember? What do I have to remember?_

I couldn't think. His hand slid down from my shoulder blades to the small of my back. I realized just how close I was to him, my body curled up like a small kitten…held so easily against his warm flesh…

He chuckled softly. His fingers dug into the soft flesh at my sides, but it didn't hurt… It felt, well, it felt nice, in a strange and rather new way. I felt my hands winding in the cloth. I felt my pulse thrumming in my ears like an eager wing-beats of a flowerbird(1). I felt his breath, rolling down my hair to tickle my ear tips. I felt his warm body up against my knees.

"I'll just have to tell you again then…" I felt his other hand slide out from under the pillows, coming up between us and lifting my chin with gentle fingers. His eyes met mine, pools of unintelligible gold that saw into me, that read my every thought right out of my mind. He placed his forehead against mine, his eyes closing slightly as he whispered, "I love you Link."

**Ganon**

He didn't move for a long time. Then his lashes fluttered closed and a soft sigh escaped his lips. For a confused moment, I waited, uncertain about what had happened. Soon, though, I pulled back and stared at him.

Eyes closed, mouth slightly open, body limp.

"Bloody hell…" I whispered softly, "he fainted."

I held onto him for a long time, just enjoying the soft warmth of his small body. As the morning drew on, I watched those soft pale lashes flicker and open. Crystalline blue stared at me like wide open windows to his very being.

They were clouded with confusion as he asked me silently, _What? What did you say?_

"I love you." I smile my reply and watch as his beautiful eyes widen and his gaze drops to his hands. Softly, I pressed my lips to his forehead. His body is rigid in my arms, but I have hope for him. I have hope for us…

He squirms under my soft kisses, falling down from his forehead to his cheeks and nose to his lips. Once there, I kiss lightly, hesitantly, I can't loose him now. I don't believe so, but he is not always predictable…

When I pull my face away, his eyes are closed and a light flush colors his pale cheeks cheery red. His breath comes a little harsher and faster out of slightly parted lips and his head crashes down and presses his forehead to the backs of his hands.

I rub his back slowly with my hands, the flesh rippling under my fingers as I work my way up and down. Then, finally, comes that soft sigh I have been waiting for. His body relaxes in my grip. Hands no longer gripping my shirt and his spine bending under my ministrations. His legs loosen and straighten out, idly laying against my own body. I can't resist, I slide my left hand down, cupping half of his fit arse in my palm. He yelps and jerks forward in shock, his fingers clinging momentarily, but relaxes as I bring my hand up. His head pulls back and he looks at me indignantly, _What did you do that for, Ganon?_

I chuckled and replied, "I've been wanting to for a while…I've been wanting to touch all of you for a very long time…"

He blushed like an embarrassed child and looked away again.

I licked his ear lightly with the tip of my tongue. He let loose another yelp and pulled away. I chuckled again and rolled forward, effectively pinning him beneath me. However, with my left knee and elbow holding me up a little, I do not crush my beloved hero.

He stares up at me, nervousness clearing his eyes and making them sharp and slightly green. "I'm not going to hurt you Link…or go to far…"

He relaxed. But only barely.

"I'm just going to kiss you…"

That subtle gasp of breath. That not so subtle movement of his hand, which covered his mouth. These stopped me for a moment.

"Link, move your hand."

He shook his head avidly.

"Just one…"

_You've already had one!_

"Yes, I want another."

_Why?_

I grinned down at him. "I like to kiss you Link. I love to kiss you. You taste sweet and are so …" ah…I did not have the word to finish that sentence…

_Innocent?_ Link inadvertently supplied, his face showing me his thoughts without him wanting it too.

"Mmmm, yes. Innocent." I pulled his hand from his lips, holding it in mine, lifting it over his head, pressing it into a pillow and holding it there. "Sweet and pure… Like an angel. My own honey loving angel."

My lips pressed tightly against his. My eyes closing slowly, watching his eyes intently. The jewel blue flits through surprise, then embarrassment and finally… yes, a hint of lust. I tempted him, licking his lower lip that I held between my teeth. His free arm slid up from my chest around my neck, his lithe fingers burying deep into my curly locks.

He wasn't a good kisser. He was sloppy and his tongue moved hesitantly. But goddess bless, he made adorable noises. Soft little moans as I licked along the hard pallet of his mouth. Panting breaths when I broke away for a moment to breathe, but my hand rubbed along his hip and thigh. Whimpers from deep in his throat after my leg pressed against his crotch and pulled away again.

I pulled away again, my tongue dripping with our mixed saliva as I traveled down his cheek and neck, sucking on the pearly skin. I raked my teeth along his flesh, relishing in the soft wet 'ohh's and 'ahh's that came from his cavernous mouth. I felt his legs stretch out and his body arch under me as I tugged open his sleeveless desert tunic.

It just got better and better. Pulling open from the top did not work, so my hand automatically reached down to pull the tunic upwards. He gasped softly the cold air and then groaned at my warm tongue. I traced his ribs, leaving a trail of saliva along his thin chest. He shivered, panting as I curled my tongue down the nigh invisible blonde hairs of his lower stomach to his navel.

His hand had left my hair. Soon I heard the scratch of nails on soft wood. A quick glance up and I saw him half sitting up, griping the wood and flushed with lust. His jewel eyes open a sliver, shimmering like sunlight on water. My hand, the one holding his, meshed fingers with his and held on tightly. I felt his nails digging into the back of my hand, the strength of the grasp pulsing along with the press of my leg.

It was going well, I believed, until a knock at the door, followed by a thump of wood on stone and then an announcing cough brought me out of my ministrations and shut Link's mouth with a very audible snap. Growling, I lifted myself up, turning around enough to growl at the woman standing there. It was my mother, standing in her High Priestess robes with her arms folded across her chest and her full lips twisted in a smirk.

"Morning boys."

"Morning mother." I grumbled, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

Silence descended over us for a while. Mother grinning at me, Link trying to hide under me and shrink away at the same time, and myself, wishing she'd go away and leave us alone. When she said nothing I snarled out, "What do you want?"

"Son, we need to prepare your lover there for the celebration tonight. It's a little more than eating and drinking." Her grin did not fade in the least as she unabashedly stared at my Link.

I knelt up and relaxed onto my heels with a sigh. Of course… I forgot…. I felt the flicker of blue eyes on me and I met Link's gaze.

_What am I doing to prepare?_

I shrugged. "I'm just a Lord Mage, but you'll be safe. I'm sure you'll have fun too."

Link sighed and tugged his tunic down, absently rubbing the left side of his neck as he moved to slide off the bed. I stopped him, grabbing his arm and turning him to face me, "A moment Link…"

He looked up, expectantly almost, tilting his head up as I brought mine down. In fact, his lips were parted as I pressed mine to his. His eyes sparkled as he looked up at me, _I learn quickly._

Oh goddess, he sure did. His sloppy kisses were still there, but his tongue moved with precision. Exploring sides, all the way around, bottom to top, individual teeth and then finally along my own. I pull back, caressing his cheek with my thumb before releasing him. With a short glance to Mother, I murmur, "Alright, you can have him now Mother."

_Goodbye Ganon…_Link smiles at me briefly and scampers out of the room with my mother. Just before he vanishes out the door, I see the reddened splotch of skin where his neck meets shoulder and I smile.

Yes. He is mine.

----------------------------

**Sukrabella**

They had the boy standing on shallow bucket, holding up lengths of white cloth and sticking pins through it to hang off of him. He held out his arms and occasionally looked around to watch, but the old biddies just chattered noisily amongst themselves and worked, effectively ignoring the quizzical glances from the boy.

I watched by the wall as the five women buzzed around him. It was the middle of the week and finally I had viable proof that Ganon could get the boy. Thank goodness! The girls were skeptical, they'd seen the innocence of Link more plainly than Ganon had and some of them doubted. But walking in on them this morning…

I grinned. Ganon would have had the boy this morning if given some more time. She'd seen that as easily as he had. Only little Link was wholly oblivious…

Said hero blushed madly now, as one of the old ladies measured his crotch with a knotted rope and a cackle. I covered my grin with a hand and watched as the other women teased him in the Old Tongue. He grew redder and redder and I knew he understood their jibs. Ah, what an amazing boy. Being a blessed hero certainly has its perks, hardly anyone know's that language anymore…

Even I know about every other word that those women were spouting at him.

"Ladies, don't tease the boy!" I called out to them. Several of them rolled their eyes at me.

"Priestess, s'not oft we git a wee one like 'im." One of the nigh toothless hags grinned at me, her right eye squinting at me.

I had to be firm, for their protection. "Lord Ganon will have your hides if it is even mentioned you embarrassed the boy. He's frightfully protective. You know what happened to Yutella."

Everyone knew what happened to Yutella. Punishment never went unnoticed here… The women muttered amongst themselves, but stopped teasing him as much.

I felt blue eyes watching me and looked up.

_What happened to Yutella?_

Alright, maybe _almost_ everyone knew what happened to Yutella. "She went on a very long and hard mission. Don't worry about her."

He nodded and looked down at the women again, curious to see them work.

I stared at the innocent boy. Did he knew that he held our life in his ignorant hands? Did he know that if he told Ganon anything, that my son would believe him above all others? Did he know that at his word, Ganon would even kill me, his mother?

Did he know that his happiness and his life dictated Ganon's?

I had a frightfull feeling that the boy knew nothing of this.

-----------------------

**Yutella**

We were walking along the shadow of a dune as the sun set when she first spoke to me. "Who is the man?"

"A fool."

I felt her head move as she stared at the man walking slightly behind us at our side. His horse's reigns were tightly held in my hands and he was tied to his saddle.

"Is he a greedy fool?"

"He is a dead fool."

The man whimpered.

"Who will kill him? Will you kill him? Why?"

"Shut up." The wench was certainly getting on my nerves.

She did quiet, but only for about ten minutes. Then she asked, "When will we be there? Where Link is?"

There was a crinkle of paper. She was holding that photo of Master Link too tightly.

"It should not be long. If we keep moving, it should be by tomorrow."

"We have been going all day. Aren't the horses tired?"

Gritting my teeth I muttered, "The horses don't matter."

She said nothing, but I knew she disagreed. I could feel it in the way she shifted slightly.

"We have to get back as soon as possible. It is the only way." I didn't tell her that it was the only way I would end up alive in the end. I did not tell her that it would bring her ultimately closer to her own death.

I did not tell her she was my ticket to survival.

-------------------------------------

**Link**

After all the standing and turning and holding out arms and legs, I was surprised to hear from Sukrabella that my outfit was not for tonight, but for the final day of the festival. However, I had no time to really comment on this because she wisked me away to tonight's part of the festival.

The set up was the same again, triangle, fire, dancers, circles, music. All of it filling my senses like it had the first time, and there in the middle stood that priestess, holding out something for me to eat. She smiled at me.

Swallowing nervously, I looked over to see Ganon coming out another door. I caught his eye and blushed with a shy smile. I hadn't seen him since earlier today. He smiled back and walked over to me.

"Ready for the third night?"

_You'll take care of me if I get drunk, right?_

He chuckled and caressed my cheek. "I will always take care of you."

I touched his hand and met his gaze. Pulling his hand away I grin and wink, _Let's see what I'm getting tonight!_ I let him go and walked to the triangle cloth.

As I walked up to her, the woman knelt and held out the platter in two hands. Upon it, swamped in savory smelling sauce and gleaming in the firelight, lay a cooked small bird, probably about the size of Ganon's fist. Which, by the way, is huge compared to practically everything. If pressed, I guess I could compare it to a bomb or something, oh hey the priestess speaks!

"As the Honored Guest and the most needing of the Goddess's Blessing, you must eat of the meat of Her Feast to begin the celebration and to receive the Blessing." It then occurred to me, I had no idea what the Blessing I was supposed to be receiving…

I ducked my head under the platter and looked at the priestess to ask, _What am I getting?_

Her eyes widened in surprise but then she smirked and whispered, "Ask Lord Ganon, Master Link. He has all the answers now. But first you have to eat the bird."

I nodded and straightened. Pulling off some of the meat, I popped it my mouth. The richness of the meat filled my mouth much like the fruit did, except with the savory juices of the bird's meat. Eagerly, I eat and eat of the dish. It was fantastic. As I broke through the white meat, I found inside it another type of meat.

This was redder and bloodier than the first kind, but strong in flavor. My fingers were slick with the meat as I ate and finally I was finished. My head swam slightly as I stepped back. The priestess stood, grinning at me and then turned to the other women. A cheer rose up from the crowd and music exploded around me.

Suddenly Ganon was at my side, wiping my hands and face with a cloth. I grinned at him, _it was amazing_.

"Yes. It is a specialty."

He leaned in and kissed my lips gently. When he pulled away he was smirking and shaking his head slightly, "I knew it. They always do that."

_Eh? Do what?_

"They marinate the meat in, cook the meat in and finish the meat off in wine."

I hiccupped. _Oh well, that's fabulous!_ I laughed and put my arms around his neck, as he was still bent over from kissing me. _I luff wine! Fabul'us stuff!_

I felt his sigh as he put his arm around under my backside and lifted me up, standing tall as he did. "Let's sit and enjoy the show then."

I giggled and kissed his cheek, his beard pressed against my chin. I wondered idly if I could ever grow a beard…

He sat us both down by more food and handed me a few cakes. I sat on his lap happiliy, eating the cake and leaning against his chest. Quietly I wondered to myself if this is what love felt like. Bubbly in my head, sweet icing in my mouth, and warmth around my back, holding me close to something solid, something real.

Wait a minute. He said show! Tugging on his beard gently, I pulled Ganon's face down to ask him what he meant by 'show'.

"The girls will perform their prowess, it's tradtional on the night of the Meat. They show the skills that get them their food. The fighting skills."

_Fighting?_

"Don't worry, love," he murmured to me, holding his face in my hand, "we will watch, not participate."

I loved the way that word he used for me came from his mouth and I truly believed him. _Right._

He kissed me again, probing into my mouth with his tongue. Exploring his territory and claiming me again. Distantly through a fogged mind, I heard cries of joy and exclaims of pride, as if the women were celebrating us. I blushed madly, gripping ahold of Ganon as I realized we were out in the middle of the courtyard with all the Gerudo women watching us.

However, my blush was about the only thing my body wanted to do about it. My fingers dug into his hair, holding onto his head, keeping his lips against mine. My other hand circled around his shoulder and held onto his neck, fingers grasping onto the thick muscle there, threatening to never let him go.

His hand held me at the back of my neck, warm and large, guiding my head to shift angles and give him better access. His other, on my back, spread wide, pressed my body to his, slowly sliding sidways to curve around my ribs, rubbing in such a pleasureable way…

He pulled back, but his lips brushed against mine as he murmured, "We should watch the show, Link, not make it."

I laughed so hard that I nearly fell off of his lap. As it was, I held my stomach and shook so bad that he had to hold me with both hands on my sides. Tears came to my eyes as I fought for breath around my laughter. Finally calming, I saw the amused sparkle in Ganon's eyes as he ruffled my hair with a hand. "All done?"

I nodded, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. He handed me a sweet roll and gestured out in front of us.

The circle of fire around the cloth we sat upon had been elongated before us, to give room for the fight-dance. Nibbling on the soft and warm sweet roll, I watched as two women entered the area. They bowed towards Ganon and I and then tured to face the center of the ring. Facing each other, they bowed, then took their positions with their weapons in hand. One had a long lance, the other two scimitar. Both wore the classic royal purple of their people in their pants and skimpy top.

In admiring awe, I watched the two girls begin, moving in a circle. Scimitar attacked, a whirling flash of shining metal and rippling purple. Lance deflected and parried, the but of the weapon swiping out to trip the Scimitar. With a leap, Scimitar lifted into the air, spining about and kicking with her feet. Long red hair lashed out like a whip as she did, and her heel connected with Lance's right shoulder.

Reeling back, Lance threw her head and shoulders back, bringing her body into a back flip. Her weapon held straight up as she planted her palms on the gound and completed the acrobatic move. Coming back up to her feet, she grabbed the lance as it fell towards her.

Having recovered, Scimitar bared her teeth in a feral grin and flashed back in for the fight. Lance blocked and parried without using too much energy, keeping her ground and circling in one spot as Scimitar edged a circle around her.

Watching the two women fight brought a familiar rush through my veins. The roll lay forgotten in my lap as I stared. I sat up straight, eyes following each flicker of movement, every slash, every muscle, every jab.

_**They're good. Scimitar especially. She is quick and clever. I'm sure she's getting good nicks on her opponent. With this tactic she'll wear down Lance and can win. That is, if Lance isn't going to pull out a weapon or perhaps a certain move that can knock Scimitar back. She is conserving her energy, I'm almost positive she's going to do something. Yes, there, I can **_

I turned at the hand on my arm, jumping out of my thought as I turned. My hand clenched around metal-wait no it…_what?_

**--------**

**Ganon**

He sat up away from my chest, shoulders squared and head high as he watched the match between the girls. I watched him watch them. His body rigid with a mixture of interest and… rememberance. I don't know if he was aware of it, but his left hand curled around an imaginary hilt, his right turned to sit on his thigh as if holding a shield.

There was a sort of…harshness about his face. Something I could not quite put my finger on as I examined him. Putting my hand on his arm, I got his attention. He jumped and turned suddenly. His eyes widened around him as I caught the end of his thoughts, _**see it in her face. She's got a nasty trick in store for Scimitar, how brilliant!**_

Then it vanishsed and he looked at me in wonder. _What?Huh?_ He looked down at his left hand and opened it. Looking back up at me he smiled as if telling me to ignore that, and rubbed his palm along his dark leggings.

I put my hand over his and smiled back, "It is a good battle."

He nodded and glanced back at it. Nervously, his right hand picked up the roll and he nibbled at it again. He leaned back against me, reluctantly staring out…

The battle ended, both women panting as they stood, Allella laying on her back with the lance tip under her chin. I had missed it, but had already seen the end. Buella, with the lance, would sweep out Allella's feet and then knock out the right scimitar from her hand. With a foot on the left arm, she put the lance to Allella's throat and became the victor.

It all happened in a matter of seconds, as soon as Allella's offense paused. Buella had won many battles like that. She was skilled with the lance.

Holding her weapon above her head for a moment, she whooped. Then she helped Allella to her feet and the two grinned to each other.

On my lap, Link quietly drank from his goblet, watching the interchange with blue eyes. I glanced down and, to my surprise, found that I could not read his thoughts from his pensive face.

"Ai-ya!" Mother called. "To the next battle! Who will face off with Vella!" She gestured to a slim girl with a pair of scimitars through her belt. Vella smiled quietly, her hair shorter than most other girls, showing her youth. But on her hands were the scimitar gloves of masters. She was young, but good.

There was a shift on my lap as Link set the goblet aside. Brushing himself off, he threw me a unintelligible glance and stood. He walked forward to the edge of the cloth before I got up and grabbed his arm, effectively stopping him from moving.

He turned and looked up into my eyes and waited for me to speak.

"Link, what are you doing?"

_**I will fight.**_

"I thought that you didn't want to fight again."

_**I do not want to… kill.**_ His head tilted slightly to the side, as if he were culturing his words just so._** Fighting for sport, for display. That is clean and safe. **_

I slowly loosened my grip and he pulled his arm out from my fist. "Alright. If you want to…if it will make you happy."

He grinned and turned away.

There was a general hush, followed by a soft murmur as he walked out to Mother and communicated with her. She in turn spoke to some one else who ran off to the weapon shed. Meanwhile, Link stretched out his arms and legs, limbering up for the up-coming battle. While he did, I sat down on the blanket and watched, feeling surly and unsure. He didn't…he didn't feel like Link.

And somehow, he didn't really look like him right now…

**------------**

**Sukrabella**

He tested the weight of the three swords I had brought and chose the second one. It had a thick leather hilt and sharpened edges. I would rather it were slightly dull but… we had no time. The shield he held easily on his other arm, it bore no insignia and was not even particularly shined.

It didn't matter to Link though. I saw it on his face, he focused on his weaponry intently, hefting the sword and testing it through his swings. Then he grinned. A tight, small grimace of a grin combined with a sharp and deadly flash in his blue eyes.

I watched him intently, trying to read his face, his manner, but all I could see was fighter…Where was the sweet child who'd stood on a bucket today, blushing when little old ladies talked about the length of his manhood in comparison to their own lovers? Where was the blush of innocence and sparkle of curiosity in this fighter's face? Where was the Link I had come to know and had found endearingly adorable?

Who was this man in front of me?

He looked at me and gave me a curt nod. No more indication that he was ready was given, other than he took his place in the middle of the ring.

I saw the nervousness in Vella's face. She was fighting Master Link, she should be dead afraid. If she so much as nicked his baby finger Ganon could skin her alive…

I chewed on my lower lip, but only for a moment, as Vella took her place. She bowed to Link. He nodded his head. She got in her stance and he in his. I raised a white cloth in my hand and took a breath of air.

With a shout of "Begin!" and by pulling down the cloth, I started this ill-fated match between child and warrior. Execpt, I did not know who was the child and who was the warrior…

**------**

**Link**

She hesitated. I saw the flicker of her eyes as she looked off to my left. In that instant, I raced forward, light on my bare feet. A yell built in my throat and exploded from my mouth as I lunged at her. My feet pushed off of the slightly sandy, but hardened, ground and propelled me into the air.

She crossed her scimitars in the air, and ducked back, rolling to evade me. Rolling myself, I lurched to my feet, and in the same movement, sprinted after her. She blocked my thrusts and slashes with her swords. The flash of the fires on our swords reflected into her face as she tried to keep her ground.

I edged her back and around, turning her, pressing my attack, trying to make her slip or falter or …THERE!

I skipped over on her right and thrust out. My sword sliced along her arm, a shallow cut, but still first blood. She winced in pain and set her face, snarling at me like a wild cat and leaping back. However, she did not stay there long. Her distraction vanished as blood dripped from her elbow, where she bent her arm to hold her weapon before her. Her feet brought her back to me, eyes flashing red in the light as she swung scimtars high and low.

Licking my lips, I lept backwards, mimicking her steps. She pressed the attack though with her arms moving wildly. Her blood splattered on my face as I deflected an arm to the side of me. It dripped down my cheek with my sweat and crawled its way to my lip.

Unconsciously, I licked it away. The metalic taste reminded me of battles of old. Of possessed suits of armor and lizards with swords. I felt my lips twist in a smirk as I yelled and brought my sword arm down in a heavy swing. She crossed her blades over her head, but her knees buckled and hit the ground. Agile as she was, she was still a woman. And a woman did not have the upper body strength of a man.

And that made her weak.

I saw the trembling of her body and knew that this was the end. Swiftly, I brought my sword back, but before she could move, I swung my shield into her arms, knocking them off to the side. Her left elbow jarred into my shield, splashing blood on it from her open wound as it did. The attack numbed her arm, as I knew it would, because she cried out in surprise as she dropped her scimitar. I kicked it aside and she fell to the ground. She rolled to get her right arm out from under her, but I came quickly. I pinned her hand palm down with a crushing foot over her scimitar holding hand and planting the other on the other side of her body, the heel of which holding her vested top to the ground securely.

I tossed aside my shield and took my sword in both hands. Looking down into her eyes I grinned, _**goodbye, desert witch. And good riddance! **_I let the weight of the world help my swing as I arched the blade down to her throat.

(1)Think hummingbird ya'll

Next time, i'm thinking about listing my reviewers and writing a little reply to them at the bottom of the chapter. if you wanna see your name there, write me a review! even if you just say "want more!" or whatever, i don't care! i likez the emails!

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Review please! Thanks!


	15. Yutella's Return

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda-ness.

**Chapter Fifteen: Yutella's Return **

**Warrior Link**

The silence around me only let the singing slice of the blade ring louder. I could feel them watch in wide eyed horror as the blade swung down and---

My body jerked to the right as the sword stopped with a _chchunkak_. I stared down the tip of my blade. It had lodged itself into the ground before it reached the wench's throat.

But I was not to be deterred. I quickly pulled the blade up, turned it around in my hands so the bottom of the hilt pointed upwards. My left hand, thumbs up, I tucked under the end and my right just under my left. I grinned; now I will not miss this time.

The witch screamed. The cry, high and frightened, rose through the night and flooded the air around me.

I licked my lips, and began to strike.

Again, I was stopped, this time as warm arms jerked under my armpits and pulled me back off of the wench. I let out a furious shout and twisted my foot back and around, catching the knee of my attacker. I released the blade with my right hand and attacked backwards with it in my left. I heard the slice of metal through flesh as I managed to pull away from the one behind me. By now, the witch on the ground had been saved by her sisters and I was surrounded.

Then, looming before me was darkness. In this case, darkness had a name, and it was Ganondorf. Snarling, I lurched towards the man, sword upraised and my feral growl rushing up from my throat to burst from my lips like a war cry.

He grabbed me by the wrist, bending my arm to the side. My blade fell from my hand and the nerves in my arm screamed as the joint was twisted. I glared up at the monster, refuting the pain I saw in his orange eyes. My foot felt cold steel and I tucked it under the blade of a scimitar.

Kicking the weapon up I snatched it with my right hand and, quick as a snake strike, I slid the sharp blade down his arm. The wound went from elbow to wrist on the bottom of his arm and then curved inwards to his upper arm. Then I jerked back as blood dribbled down his body, splattering on the sand, his body and the steel.

His grip weakened and I pulled away from him. Stumbling back over my feet, I transferred weapon from my right to my left hand, which was still my strongest hand even if it was twisted. I felt the hostility in the air, but I also felt the hesitancy.

Why did these witches not attack me? I had wounded their king!

A shrill, almost human, cry caught my attention like a net on a startled wolf. I spun instinctively to face the new enemy, but drew up short.

In the flickering firelight I saw her. Red coat shimmering with the orange light, white mane colored ginger as she stepped towards me.

_Epona…_ that irritating gentle voice, deep in the disgusting part of my mind, reached out for her.

She whickered softly, tossing her head and then lowering it. Her ears flicked uncertainly, forward and back, out to the sides and then on me again. Her posture showing me her distress. _Link, come back to me please. Link…_

I couldn't resist the urge of her call and soon I was swallowed back into my trained recesses. I grudgingly released my body to my untrained and naïve self.

**Link**

I stumbled forward to her, firelight and color blurring in my vision as I dropped the bloodied steel and fell to my knees. Her warm, soft nose pressed against my cheek, her breath blowing my hair slightly as I closed my eyes and reached up to her neck. Grabbing to fistfuls of her soft mane with my stained hands, I wept. Sand shifted before me as she knelt and then nudged me with her nose, pressing me against her front.

With arms around her neck and cheek now against her firm muscle, I lay partly in the sand and partly across her legs. She comforted me with soft noises and her presence around me. I didn't want to turn from her, as I would have to face my shame and then these people whom I've come to care for. I clutched to Epona as my lifeline, for I knew she forgave me of my mistakes as I knew she always would.

I dared not turn around and see the horror and fear and hatred I knew would be in the faces of the women. I dared not listen to hear their cursing me and their mutterings. I dared not turn around to face what torture I would endure for my actions.

**Ganon**

It did not take long to take Vella into the fortress and away to the infirmary. A priestess stood at my arm, bandaging it quickly and efficiently as I spoke with the women softly.

"Under no circumstances are we to get Link drunk ever again. This wouldn't have happened if he was sober. Do you understand?"

They nodded solemnly as they stood around me. The festival was ruined, for now, but had served its purpose the moment Link had finished eating the offering.

"I want that message repeated to Vella and I want no alcohol around him. I know it is a pain but you will suffer through it."

Again, they nodded.

I quickly glanced over at mother. She sat on a cloth and had her shirt lifted up and tied off just under her breasts. Yes, it bothered me slightly to see her so bare, but what bothered me more was the curving slice around her side and up around her back. I would have to speak to her too…

"Milord."

An older woman got my attention, bowing slightly. "Shall we end the festival?"

I looked through the crowd. I saw in their eyes that they wished to end it properly. With an aggravated sigh I waved her off. "I don't care."

They nodded and there were a few brief smiles as they dispersed. The priestess at my arm had finished her spell and binding and vanished into the group. I knew they would not start up again until Link had been moved so I went to the young man. I knelt beside him, keeping my right arm straight to my side and reaching out to touch him with my left. I touched soft gold hair and my finger trailed down his nape to his shoulder.

His horse looked up at me curiously and I gave her a gentle smile. "May I take him to rest in his room?"

She blinked at me and lifted her head up off of Link's back. Carefully, I detangled Link's fingers from her mane and pulled him off of her. He was asleep, and would remain so for a long time, or so I thought. I put his head on my right shoulder and tucked my right arm around his back, cautious of my injury. I held him under his arse and on the backs of his thighs with my left arm and stood a little shakily from my kneeling position.

Epona stood too, concern in her eyes as I settled Link carefully. I gave her a better smile than before. "I'll take care of him. Don't worry."

She tossed her head a little and whinnied as if to say, _I know you will. Or else._

I took him into the fortress, and as the door closed behind me I heard the beat of drums and chorus of song rising from the festival area. My arm ached as I held my slender, yet drunkenly heavy hero. I tried not to think of what had happened, since I was a little and tipsy and irrational myself at the moment. Besides, now that everything had calmed down, I became _very_ aware of the supple body against my chest.

I reached the men's wing without issue with my arm, Link or anything else. Inside the wing I murmured, softly under my breath, "Now let's get you to bed in your room, alright?"

Surprisingly, Link stirred. He mumbled in his sleep, his soft breath fluttery against my neck. "Naw….y'ur bed soft'r…go th're."

I smiled. Used to my bed already? How delicious…Instead of going to his room, I went to mine. A glow of the few necessary candles illuminated the room dimly. One sat at the door to the hall, one at the door to the washroom and another by the bed. Upon my entry, the strong scent of jasmine wafted through the air.

Against my chest, Link scrunched his nose and complained sleepily, "…schme'l like'em fl'wrs…loik…Ill'a."

Magically, I command the candles to go to the secondary scent in the room, Link's preferred scent. The intense smell of hot hay filled the room, which I nearly gagged on. Link, strangely enough, relaxed at the smell and even began to smile in his sleep, the foolish country bumpkin. Closing the door behind us, I walked in and lay him in the bed, tucking him under my dark sheets after gently tugging off his sandals.

I stroked soft blonde hair and let my knuckles run down the curve of his skull under his ear down to his slim shoulder where I stopped it. My hand swallowed his upper arm and as I held on to it lightly, I could feel the sinews of muscle that rippled underneath the skin there. I sighed and let him go. Sitting on the bed I stared at the wall again.

I thought about my candles. Magically altered so that they produced the scent that put someone to sleep, usually me for, in general, I had trouble sleeping. However, when I used the spell, I didn't specify it to only me. So this hay smell, which I smelled once before when Link slept in my room, was Link's smell. Or rather, it was the smell that made him sleepy. Primarily, though, the candles catered to me, which is the reason they were usually jasmine when I entered my chambers at night. Understandably this was why I had to change them to this nose destroying smell.

I sneezed once and quickly glanced down at Link, but he slept like a lump of rock. Getting off the bed, I gave him a quick kiss on the forehead before I escaped into the fresh air of my hallway. Just as I did so, my mother was being walked up the hallway by a priestess.

She stood resolute before me, looking like she was about to beat some sense into me, but then her eyes softened and she sighed. "Poor boy. Will he be all right?"

Ah, so he'd gotten to her as well. "Yes. For now at least."

"And in the mornin'? Y'know we need him to make his ritual garb."

I frowned, I didn't want him to have to be about the women until he was ready, "I thought you got his measurements already."

"Look, son, if we're going to get this right the first time, we need him there to keep it up to date and perfectly fitting. We don't want there to be any mistakes." She took a step forward, swayed a little and was steadied by the woman beside her.

"I will talk to him. It will depend on how he feels about it."

This didn't make her happy. Pointing her finger at me she snapped, "He has to do it! It has to be done by tomorrow night and it has to be blessed and prepared for him and he has to be prepared for it because otherwise this whole week has been a waste and we'll have to repeat the whole business next month! You get your boy under control, Ganon, and you get him into the dressing room or else!"

My back went rigid and my lip pulled back in a snarl as I stepped menacingly towards her. "You take a step back from me, priestess, and you remember your place. I am Lord over this fortress and I command my subjects as I see fit. You," I pointed a finger right back at her, she wilted, her medicine's or wine's effect finally thinning enough for her to see her danger, "you are _my_ _subject_. Link, however, is my _consort_ and I will do whatever it takes to make him happy. If that means removing your disobedient and defiant tongue and taking you from High Priestess, then so be it. I will warn you once, and only once. When it comes to Link, he gets whatever he wants, no matter what it is, when he wants it, why he wants it, how he wants it or who he wants it from. Link is everything to me, Sukrabella. And compared to him, you are nothing."

I stepped back, my glare boring into her face. She looks tired and worn as she sighs and bows her head. At her side, the priestess is bent over at the waist, in the proper humble posture. My mother cannot bend over, because of her injury, I know it, and so I allow the simple lowered gaze as apology. Quietly, my voice strained with contained anger, I lowered my hand and told her to leave.

She left with her attendant, eyes downcast. I had not threatened her lightly. I could remove her from her position as easily as I put her in it.

And the cutting out of her tongue?

Slowly smirking, I remember the face of her attendant. As I recall, that woman would never speak again…

**Link**

I awoke in Ganon's bed. I knew it was his because the sheets were dark red. In my room, the sheets were cream colored. There was a weight in the bed behind my back, depressing the mattress and preventing me from rolling up in the blankets.

Turning to face it, I found myself eye to chest. Bare, black chest. I looked up, and met Ganon's half opened, glittering gem eyes. "G'mornin' hon'." Before I knew what he was doing, his lips were against my forehead and he'd draped his long, thick and bandaged right arm over my side and around to my back. My arms were pinned between us, the backs of them pressed to his chest. He pulled his head back from mine and smiled.

"Did'ja sleep well?"

I nodded slightly, before putting my cheek to his chest and closing my eyes. I listened to his heart-beat.

"It's alright, love. They aren't upset. They understand."

I tightly gripped my own tunic, going rigid at the memory.

"I love you, Link. Even when the bad things happen. The girls support me and they support you." I felt the firm fingertips of his large hands ripple up my back to the back of my head. "Everyone slips up a little. Especially when alcohol is involved."

Tears burned behind my eyes and slowly trickled down my face. The liquid was icy cold against my shame-flushed cheeks. I couldn't be like everyone else, I was the Hero of Time!

At least. I once was.

He lifted my chin with his thumb, to look into my eyes. He 'tsk'ed softly and brought his lips to my cheeks, kissing away my tears. In between kisses he whispered to me.

"Don't have to cry like this." Kiss. "We can take precautions." Kiss. "I can support you." Kiss. "I will be there for you." Kiss. "I will take care of everything." Kiss.

He meant to take my tears away but his gentle ministrations just brought more and more to my eyes. My blush of shame, however, changed to a blush of…of I knew not what. Soon, though, I found my hands linked behind his neck as I kissed his lips feverishly. Together, we turned, until my back lay on the mattress and he covered me with his body. His wounded arm bent slightly at the side, keeping him from crushing me as our lips parted and met again and again.

Once, when we broke apart for breath, he whispered softly against my lips, "I love you Link."

My heartbeat _th-thunk_ed in my hears and veins and I felt a nervous sort of tingling that ran up from my squiggly feeling stomach to my suddenly dry mouth and numb limbs. In my mind I knew, I just _knew_, he spoke truth.

Yes, Ganondorf loved me.

I smiled. Then I frowned. Then I pouted. With a sigh I opened my eyes. He was watching my face intently, searching for…searching for…

_Searching for my response?_

Slowly, he nodded.

I swallowed the rock in my throat. The blush on my cheeks darkened as I looked away. I had no reply… not to something like that.

His lips were against my cheekbone and then my ear. His voice, sugar coated words of delicate sincerity, slid in through my ear and lodged in my mind, reassuring me even while I lay in my feelings of confusion. "It's alright; I can wait for a response. I have all the time in the world."

His lips migrated down my neck to my collar. The reddened mark he'd left before had not healed in the slightest. In fact it was still tender and sore. He licked the spot and then chuckled. "Want another?"

I was nodding before I thought about it, but I did not regret it. His teeth, firm against my skin, dragged along it, pulling down to my collar bone. Panting breaths easily rolled out of my mouth and I close my eyes as he rakes down, licks, sucks, lets go, finds a new spot and does it all over again.

The soft click of the door opening, however, jars into my brain through sensitive ears and I jerked suddenly.

Ganon made an annoyed noise and pulled his head up. "What?"

I glanced over at him, heat filling my cheeks as my blood rushed to them. _The door, it's open._

With an irritated growl, he turned around to glare at the woman standing in the doorway. She bowed low and when she stood straight, she kept her gaze lowered to the ground. "I have been sent to tell Master Link of his summons to the sewing room. His robes are not yet complete and his body is necessary to complete them."

For a long time, Ganon glared at her and then he turned to me. His eyes softened and he smiled faintly. "You can do as you wish, Link."

I glanced from him to her and then stared hard at the wall. They needed me and I … I had to show I was not dangerous anymore… Making a fist, I looked at Ganon. _I will go. Thank you for letting me rest in your bed._

He nodded and sighed, rolling away from me to give me mobility. "Alright. Come any time you wish."

I got off the bed and straightened my clothing. The woman led me out of the room and down the hallway towards the sewing room I had visited yesterday.

**Ganon**

I walked the battlements, stretching my legs and my mind as I thoughtfully considered the horizon. I was briefly wondering about the migration of the Hurmonts in the next few weeks when a spindly girl ran up to me, breathing heavily and sweating lightly in the early afternoon sun.

"Mmm, yes? Henella?" Goddess above, it was hard to remember all of their names!

"Aye sire!" She snapped a sharp salute, her back going straight as she prepared to deliver a message. She was probably twelve or thirteen, an orphan if her dark hair had any proof of her non-Gerudo heritage. "I been scent to find yer and tell yer that Yutella's returned wid her misshun 'complished!"

I smirked, "Ah, have her escort the lucky fellows into my dungeons, will you?"

She dropped the salute and cleared her throat uneasily. Her dark eyes looked a little troubled as she said, "Aye sire, I would, but she ain't got none but one man wid her, sire. He's an awfully fat man thought, s'pose he could be two persons. Oh, and Yutella's got this lass with sunfire burns and Desert Haze. A damned sick lookin' lass."

The smirk dropped from my lips. A girl with Yutella? What the hell was that woman _thinking_? "Desert Haze. Are you sure of this?"

"Aye." The dark hair bobbed as she nodded brightly. "Yutella's taken the lass to infirmary, but unda guard. Said that girl ain't 'llowed tuh be 'lone. I knowed she got Desert Haze just by lookin' at 'er. I seen it afore, sire, in my mum."

"Hmmm. Right. Tell Yutella to take the man to the dungeon anyway and to meet me in the infirmary."

"Aye sire!"

"And one more thing, Henella."

"Sire?"

"Don't tell anyone Yutella's here."

"Aye."

"Run off now, quickly."

She turned and scampered off, short black hair flipping about her face as she spun around. I turned back to the horizon and repeated my thought out loud. "What the hell are you thinking, woman?"

I entered the infirmary, half the room lit with lamps as Desi mumbled during her work over the sedated girl. I turned to Yutella, who stood by the door, silently waiting for me without expression on her face.

I glared at the strange blonde girl for a moment and then shifted my piercing gaze to Yutella. "What is the meaning of this?" I snapped.

"Sire," She furtively glanced at the girl, her voice troublingly soft, "She's from Master Link's home village. She's desperate for him, sire, she hysterically rushed the young master when we were leaving. We thought that was the last of her since we'd returned but she's come after him. She's got a sealed decree from Zelda and everything. I don't know how she did it, but she got that Princess to let her come here for him. She's told me that she's come to save her hero from a monster.

"She's gone insane from the desert, sire, but she has an effect over Master Link. I saw it at the village. She flung herself at him, babbling about how he had to protect her and he couldn't leave her and it tore him up inside. I could see it all over his face, she nearly guilted him into staying, sire and she may be able to guilt him to escaping."

I snarled quietly, glaring down at the girl as my lip curled up in disgust. "We'll just have to make sure that he doesn't know she's here."

Yutella nodded, bowing her head deeply. "Sire, if I may be so bold…"

"No. The answer is no, Yutella, because you should been so bold as to have killed the girl before dumping her here." I knew she was begging for her life, but I did not want this mistake slide. "You knew exactly what kind of trouble she could be and you let her live past five minutes with you. Go out to the desert, Yutella, and burn yourself up. Begone!" I seethed in my anger. My magic rippled through me like flame up dried wood.

She set her jaw and nodded, her eyes shimmering with tears. She ducked her head down and left the infirmary. The guard standing by the door stared down at her feet, not daring to look up. Desi continued to mutter over the girl and the girl did not wake.

Growling to myself, I stormed out of the infirmary, to find some way to appease my anger.

**TBC

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NOW! As I promised before: the review replies! GASPORINO!

Crazy long, I know! OH, annnnnnd there is stuff and the bottom you might want to know about I dunno…xD OH times 2! There is a mention of my birfday, which actually isn't until Sunday, but I wanted to put this up now cuz I want reviews on SUNDAY! Cuz it'll be my birfday! xD c'mon, presents! Yay!

**rainbow flavoured fetus**

First, woah, BABIES! xD

Thank you for the love! Just in time for my birfday! xD Are u sure I don't give too much detail? Sometimes, I think I do… hmmm

I'm working on the chapters! Promises!

**peu de fleur**

I forgive for the spelling errors, I am usually more worried about plot and character development as well as their placement. Thanks for your notice!

And thanks for adding me to your favorites!

**xXDeidara-chanXx**

Thanks so much! I love all your compliments! -giggles-

Thanks for the love!

**yugiohlover1234**

I find that many of my reviewers say they are in love with my story! Thank you for your love! I greatly appreciate it! I hope you enjoy future plot twists and chapters! And keep with your reviews! I adore them!

**R. M. Jagonshi **

Added chapter right here! My birthday gift to all of you! Er…even though it's my birfday! Enjoy!

**Tikita**

I have to say the triforce ain't all bad, you'll see in the end!

Officially in love with me? xD YES! Thank you! I love love! And I tried to email you but the world hates me :'(

If you want to contact me, I have a link to my livejournal on my profile… xD that's always fun!

**firebranded**

Stay tuned to see what happens to our hero boy! Heh heh. xD we all love our evil Ganon! And Yutella and Ilia? Ohh, you'll just have to wait and see! Hee hee, I have plans! Plans!

**IHEARTTHEREV**

I know, I never thought of them together before! xD but they ARE soooo cute! Hee hee.

**teiboi **

ah! Better put your mind back together, I'm not even close to the end yet! Thanks for your review! I'm glad you think it's beautiful! DF is certainly one of my favorites!

**miss-cold**

heh, I was aiming for that. I like him as a soft bitty type, but he's still hardcore kick butt when he's allowed to be. I'll be reminding everyone of his more murderous bloodthirsty side at inconvenient and convenient times!

Well, I hope that it doesn't get too complicated as I go along! I'll tell you its fairly difficult to put in everything that I want in a cohesive order. I drove myself crazy for about two weeks trying to place Ilia in the right place!

I am soooo grateful that this is one of your top fanfictions! I've always wanted to write one that people love a whole lot and I'm really glad its this one!

Oh, and you might want to get something to bite down on so you don't wear down your teeth with all the gritting, it's going to get rocky soon. Heh

Thanks so much for your love! -HUGS- xD

**BlueDreamer**

Thank you so much for your compliments! I've been a little worried that Link acts a little too, er, loopy? And Ganon a little too sweet. I'm glad you think they're within their new character limits! And I'm also glad that you like the womenz! I find them quite amusing from time to time, especially the old ladies! They're a riot in my head, always jabbing at Link cuz he's cute, innocent and such a pushover to them! Hahaha

Hopefully you won't have to wait too much more in the next few weeks. I'm coming of my Harry Potter Binge and getting back to Link!

**NC-chan**

I have to admit, I was reluctant to leave this cliffhanger, but it's been a while since I left a good one like that. And leaving it for as long as I did? I truly apologize!

**Deep Blue Dragon**

Ah, the groove didn't last too long, sorry, just felt like reminding everyone he IS a skilled fighter and killer! Thanks for the love so much and I really don't mind not getting the reviews all the time cuz I do the same thing, take the story off the web to read later. I'm glad that DF is print worthy, though! I feel like I should print out a certificate or something… hee hee.

**linksage **

ah yes, being scared for Link is a good thing for this fic. He certainly warrants it from time to time! I hope the end of the fight was good enough for you. Though I felt it was kind of lame…. Sigh

**Halfium**

-laughs and gives you clean handkerchief- here, bite this, not your nails! And don't worry too much for him, he'll survive…I guess…

**LeneeTheSunsetAngel**

Haha.

Thank you so much! -preens under compliments upon compliments- I do sure hope I live up to my name, it took some thought to come up with it! Haha. Oooh, flawlessness… I LOVE that word now!

Best action scenes? -beams- heh, I see 'em like a movie in my head, it's crazy. xD Hmm, wonder if I do better one's than my brother… probably because I'm writing about Link and Link is crazy awesome!

I aim to post more often now! Er… now that I'm off my HPB (mentioned in BlueDreamer's review reply a few above yours)

**rozellarising**

Thank you. As ever, I appreciate your compliments immensely!

**ianna28**

I should be getting out of my slump now, so I'll be posting more. Thanks for getting hooked, and telling me! I love to hear from faithful readers like you and the others!

**Tohaunt**

I have to say, first of all, that your name makes me think of Toe-hunt, for some reason. Like… hunting for toes. xD

Anyway, classic love it, need it, update review. Along with a pleading please! gives thumbs up its fun to get these one liners! Thanks for the love Hunter of Toes!

Hahahaha, er, no offense meant on that. -sweatdrop-

**KitsuneyJenfner**

My, I like your name! you are a devoted reviewer, grateful I am to you. (that sounded weird that way! xD)

Ah well, Link and blood, there's something primal about the way he feels with the sword, kinda forgets everything but the training he's had… thanks for the wow-age, I hardly get those! -double thumbs up-

I plan to keep the work awesome and up!

**JtheChose1**

Coincidence that you have a wow-age too? I dunno I dunno. I have to say, though, I have a serious weekness for wow-age! And, I dunno why, but it took me a few times looking at your name to realize what it said. xD crazy I know.

Link's not bipolar! Just… ah, well trained! Haha. Survival training! Hee hee… And Ganon and Link's closeness? I sure hope I'm not going to fast on that -discusses with muse, who's absent for a while-

Muse: dude, CC, have a snog fest already! and I wanna see 'em do it!

CC: sigh, stupid muse I can't yet! Link ain't ready!

Muse: -glares-

CC: anyway… thanks o faithful and loyal reader! Woot!

**Rose**

"A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet…" Shakespeare I believe… anyway, I totally thought of that when I saw your name. xD

thanks for the love, Juliet! Er.. lily? Oh no, it's rose! Hahaha just kidding!

Don't want me to kill Yutella? Hmmmmm…. I'm still thinking about that one… lol, love your review!

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**Continue with the reviews, I eat them up like candy!**

And sorry about the steadily growing stranger there towards the end…xD I blame my muse, he's been gone for this whole time, torturing my friend in college and finally came back to me the other day.

I plan to kick my HPB to the curb for a while and focus primarily on DF! Oh and DDD and AHNH! And my latest other fic! Happy Birthday to me! xD

**And a question, should I kill Yutella or not? Bwhahahahah! Review with your response to that one!** Cuz right now her future is looking preeetty bleak. Like, dead bones in the sand bleak. -waves magical fingers and throws magic dust- REVIEW! Or I'll binge on Lucius Malfoy again! -giggle/squeal- hee hee, Oh Lucius!


	16. Purify and Open

**Disclaimer: **Ya'll know i don't own zelda world!

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**Thanks** for all the love! I had a great birthday weekend because of all of your reviews! have fun with this chapter, i'm feeling the zelda buzz and should be posting pretty regularly now!

_**Warrior Link 'speaking'**_

_thoughts and later Goddess Kym speaking_

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**Chapter Sixteen: Purify of Body and Opening of Mind**

**Link**

I stood on the upturned basin, my arms out at my side. The old women were hushed today, murmuring only about the clothing and such as they worked. There was none of the jibs at my expense. I knew it was because of last night.

"Aiyah, kneel Master Link." One of them patted my knee, "we must get ye collar fit." She popped a white cloth over my head and suddenly there were pins pricking my skin as they fussed over me.

I winced and hissed slightly when one of them poked the tender skin of Ganon's mark. The women pulled back and then curiously pulled the white cloth back. As soon as she saw the mark she gasped and beamed and hugged me brutally tight. Elated, she chattered on and on about progress and heirs and other things of that nature. Thankfully, she released me and all of the other women chattered about babies and marriage and I was monstrously confused.

Sukrabella cleared her throat and the ladies quieted. "Come on, finish the robes, ladies."

They twittered like little spring birds for a few more minutes before they got back to business. Over their heads I tossed a look over at Sukrabella,_marriage?_

She gave me a slight smile, almost sad I think, and told me, "Ask my son, he should explain everything to you."

That sounded familiar to me, like someone had already told me to ask Ganon something else. Pursing my lips I closed my eyes and tried to remember who or what. However, this past week was pretty blurry, what with the wine, more wine and even more wine…I think it was shocking that I could even remember fighting that girl from last night.

I shivered a little at that thought, feeling my face darken in a mixture of anger and uncertainty. I had nearly killed one of the girls, how could they trust me like this?

_**Trust you? I don't think they can stand you anymore. Sure, you're a sweetheart when you're sober, but put a blade in your hand and suddenly you're a different person. They think you're a wild animal.**_

_Shut up! You're wrong._

_**You saw the fear in that wench's eyes. You saw it reflected in the eyes of her whore sisters. Do I have to show it to you again?**_

Images of wide, frightened eyes flickered past my dark vision and I tried to swallow but couldn't. _No, please, get rid of that. I can't bear it!_

They vanished but the snarling voice of my sinful side continued to torture me.

_**They only tolerate you because their master would kill them if they didn't. Remember Yutella? She's been missing since you returned home. What were you told, she was on a dangerous mission? Ganon spoke with her, he probably sent her to her doom! **_

_He wouldn't do that…she's just a woman and she was kind to me…_

_**She let you get hurt. In the name of his love**__-_the voice spat that word out like it was tainted water-_**he'll do anything. That lying, conniving, murderous monster killed her because she couldn't protect you. Do you call that love? Do you want that in a lover? You disgusting and pitiful fool! Can't you see he is using you? All this business of 'marriage' and 'festival'; can you not see through this despicable ruse you idiot?!**_

_But he… the festival… I'm a guest of honor and… a ruse?_ But the voice didn't answer, for someone pulled on my arm and demanded me to give attention outside of myself.

Opening my tired eyes, I looked down to see that strange young priestess from the festivals. I gave her a little smile, _hello, what is it?_

She bowed her head, her hood obscuring hair and face as she did. Rising back up she said calmly, "This one requires the presence of my lord Warrior if this one is to help him prepare for the festival event tonight." She looked more at me intensely. "It will require more of you than eating something. You must be cleansed of body and spirit. This one has been summoned by Her Hand to do such thing."

I stared at her for a moment, realizing that the older women had abandoned me and Sukrabella stood idly by the open door, talking to one of the ladies quietly. I glanced up at her and she gave me a slight smile, "Go ahead Master Link, you will be fine with her."

I gave her a slightly confused smile and then I scurried after the strange girl as she led me from the sewing room.

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She led me towards the cathedral, except through a different entrance than the main one. This single door was on the side, and lead to a room of stone, lined with tables along the walls and a large metal basin in the middle. A series of mats or folded up cots leaned against the wall next to the door on my right. Candles lit the room and there were three women inside. A child of, presumably, twelve years, a middle aged woman in a dark purple robe, another of the same age with a weapon strapped to her hip and then the priestess I had entered with.

The door shut and locked with the ominous _chunkthunkclik_. Instinctively I turned to look over my shoulder as blood drained from my face and my stomach dropped to the ground. _Oh no, not again!_

**Ganon**

Mother stood on the other side of my desk, as sitting hurt her side still. Between us, on the hardwood table top, sat two clear vials filled with potions. One held a lavender liquid the other fiery red. She had put the vials right on some papers I was transcribing and I was trying to ignore her.

However, as her annoying silence held on, I glanced up at my her face and demanded irritably, "What are these supposed to be?"

"Magic is controlling almost all aspects of this mating, my son. Isn't clear what these are for?" She gave a half smile. "Pick the gender of your child, red for boy, lavender for girl."

I set down my ink pen and sat back, almost stunned. Oh goddess, that's right, I was having a _baby_ soon. "I choose the gender with just a potion?"

"It isn't guaranteed. Her Hand will guide the child however She sees fit. It's just that you have a choice too, to let Her know what you would like. I suggest you talk it over with your lover as soon as possible."

I picked up first one vial and then the other, closely examining them both. "When must I drink these?"

"Before tomorrow night. When the Ceremony of the Heart and Womb is completed, you must have drunk one of these potions. These promise a child to be conceived, but as I said, only tell of which sex you would like." She seemed slightly amused at this and I glanced sharply at her. However, there were no traces of the amusement in her face, so I let it slide.

"Talk to Link about it, my son, for it should be the decision of two parents, not just one." Then she bowed as low as she could, with a slight wince, and left me in my room. I stared at the vials and then set them down. Lavender or Red. Girl or Boy.

_I would have to make the choice on my own. Link didn't even know that I was going to impregnate him yet! _With I a sigh I turned back to my work, the answer would come to me sooner if I just cleared my head a little with something conceivable.

Quietly, I snorted at my own word choice.

**Link**

They stripped me down and I shivered as I stood in the metal basin. There were none of the jibes of my body as the older women had had when they were making the white clothing for me. There was a sacred quality to their actions as they did such simple things like filling the basin around my feet and pulling out vials and towels.

The hot water steamed around me, heating me even as the steam riddled my body with little bumps and dampened my skin. "Sit." The warrior woman bade me, pulling down on my wrist.

I obeyed. The water stopped and the oldest two converged on me. Farther away, sitting at a table, was the priestess, murmuring softly in another language as she held her hands folded against her chest, a ribbon or thin cloth twined about her fingers. At another table, the child was sifting through vials and vials, searching and sniffing them to identify them.

The two women with me began to furiously scrub at my skin, their rough cloths warm on contact with my skin. It hurt and I had to bite my tongue to keep from whimpering. Their hands moved industriously, from my shoulders down my arms to my fingertips. Then my arms are lifted up and out of the way. More harsh scented lye soap is applied to the cloths and then one rubs my back, the other my chest.

The washing proceeded down my body, forcing me to stand, and moving to my now shivering legs. I blushed furiously as they washed my…my private parts, trying not to think about it as they washed. Soon, they moved to my feet and bade me sit again.

I shivered as the water drained from around me. Holding onto myself in the basin, I did not expect the bucket of ice-cold water dumped on my head from behind. My teeth chattered violently and I whimpered as they dumped another on me.

"Up, young master, up!" commanded the purple robed woman. I clamored to my feet as she and her companion washed my body of the soap with soft, coldly wet cloths. "Now get out."

Freezing cold, I stepped from the metal basin to the flagstones, shifting my weight from side to side as the soles of my feet grew icy cold. The two women dried me off with two large towels, roughly rubbing over my body, but leaving my head and hair untouched. Wrapping another dry towel about my waist they led me to the table where the child stood. She turned with a vial in each hand and said, "Set him down there and lay him back." She gestured to a stool beside a sink attached to the wall.

I was led to the seat and sat down, my back to the wall. I leaned back against the wood and tipped head into the stone bowl. The child stood beside my head, vials cradled in one arm as she used her hands to put a cloth about my shoulders and freed my hair to fall into the sink. Then she put one bottle aside and poured blue-white goop into her palm from the other. Her clean hand pulled on a chain above my head and water poured down from a spout that sprang from the wall.

I closed my eyes as she wetted and washed my hair, her little fingers digging into my scalp and scraping all dead skin away. I grit my teeth at the feeling of her tiny fingernails along my skin. She rinsed my hair out and then I heard her open the other bottle. She applied more goop to my hair and rubbed it in soothingly. The scent of raspberries wafted up from my hair as she rubbed it in. Then she washed that out too and wrapped a towel about my hair to dry it. Finally she sat me up. "Now we will wash your face."

I nodded my understanding and waited with my eyes closed as she scrubbed my face clean with a rough cloth. The child dried my face and I opened my eyes.

They watched me with faint smiles on their faces as they stood there. I smiled nervously and they nodded to each other. "Alright," the warrior said, "Time for the next phase."

I swallowed and felt my mouth go dry. Goddess bright, that sounded scary…

Now I stood on a towel, naked, as they took direction from the child. My cheeks were hot as they approached, why did I have to be so … so… naked?! The little child looked as if she wanted to giggle when she looked at my reddened face. She was opening a tube, in fact all the women were opening similar tubes, as they stood in a circle around me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as their hands, slick with oils, began to rub me down.

I closed my eyes and kept my mouth shut and held perfectly still, hoping this embarrassing activity would end quickly.

**Ilia**

I knew I was in an infirmary without even opening my eyes. I had been in one for a week after Link's capture. It smelled of this faint cleaning scent and the cots were all the same. Opening my eyes, I stared at a dark brown ceiling and sighed. The breath flowed easily from my lips, though they still were dry as far as I could tell from a quick probe with my tongue.

But they were healing quickly.

Furtively, I looked to my left and right and was startled to see an old woman standing at my bedside. She stared at me, dark eyes hidden under old eyebrows. Grayed hair frazzled out from braids that hung down past her sagging chest and gnarled at the ends into strange curls. She touched my forehead and muttered to herself. Then she gave me a grin, her lips parting to show several missing teeth from reddened gums. "Desi heals you up nicely, child. Go to sleep."

She covered my eyes with a hand, closing them, and I found myself falling into the darkness of my dreams.

**Link**

After rubbing down my body, the priestess provided me with a loincloth wrap of the same white cloth I had been dressed and fitted into this morning. She set out a white cloth and bade me sit on it. Sitting cross-legged on the blanket, she sat in front of me, demonstrating how I should hold my hands, palm up, on my knees. Mimicking her, I relaxed, realizing that we were probably going to meditate.

The child and two other women departed then, leaving me with the priestess.

When they'd gone, closing the door tightly behind them, almost all of the candles darkened, except for one placed behind the priestess and another behind me. She had her eyes closed and so I closed mine too.

"Your body has been purified, Link, and now you must purge your mind. I am here as the voice of the Goddess Kym. I am here to listen to your barren soul. The words you speak to me now will not be heard by another and even I will not remember them. They will be recorded in the mind of the Goddess Herself. She will remember your words and your meaning and She will add you into Her Family. We are all related, Link. We are sisters and brothers of our Mother, Goddess Kym. She was the forgotten one, the shadow goddess, created when the other three, Farore, Din and Nayru came together as one force. She was created in the middle of their power and is a power of Her own.

"Speak your soul, Link, bare it, and She will carry your burden with you, as you will become one of Her children. You will be able to rely on Her as a child can turn to their Mother for guidance and constant love."

I hesitated for a long time. It made sense, now, the design of the festivals. The colored fires of the three tri-force goddesses and the cloth presented in the middle. I had once wondered, sometime, whether or not the triangle formed from the other three made any difference to anyone. It was like I had the final clue to the puzzle I was unknowingly facing.

Opening my mouth, I felt a surge of relief and I let it all pour out.

Ilia and my home village. My quest I was given without warning, that ripped me from my pleasant life and threw me into a war I didn't want to fight. The training that captured a part of my own mind and harnessed it, transforming it into a ruthless killer that solved everything through violence. The puzzles, the dungeons, the death and impending doom looming over my shoulder at every turn. The possibility of failure always right there, inching closer and then backing away only to lurch towards me again.

And then my confusing with Ganon, his words, his meaning, his lies or truths… his touches. The thoughts my warrior self had, the blood I hated to spill but, admittedly, that and ranching were the only thing I could do. The horrible truth my horrid self could speak. The fear of Ganon's being.

He was a monster! But I … I thought maybe I could like him, just a little. His touches, they burned my body like nothing else ever had. It was a situation I could not understand. I had nothing with which to compare it too.

If it was love I could not know. I was so naïve, I was so innocent.

Ganon had even said so himself.

Epona, her words of guidance, but she is getting on in years, she has been with me forever. She wants to rest now, she needs to rest now…

I want to stay for her but…

I fear this place.

_**You have had your say! Shut up you fool, it is my turn. I am part of your soul as well. Go to sleep and let me speak with this Goddess.**_

I spun wildly and suddenly into darkness as that anger, trapped deep in my mind and heart, broke free and put me in its box.

** Warrior Link**

I opened my eyes and stared at the woman. She shimmered with a silver blue light, her eyes were open, but unseeing. _**Kym.**_

She arched an eyebrow, and I saw it. It was a double image, of this woman and another possessing her. The other woman, the silver blue light, was slightly taller and broader in chest and hips and legs. She took up more space, but was still as bewitching as any woman could be. She was a goddess, I could see it clearly in the very manner in which she held herself.

_My lord Warrior,_ She inclined Her head with a slight smile. The lips of the priestess formed Her words, but I heard them more clearly in my mind than if She's just spoken them aloud. _What do you wish to tell me?_

_**What you and your filthy minions are doing to Link is abominable. **_

_Funny, he doesn't seem to mind to much._ Her dark eyes twinkled in amusement.

I snarled slightly, pulling back my lips like a wolf. _**Did you not listen to his ranting? The fool is confused and bewildered what with your cretins fooling with his mind and his body. You have even bewitched his magnificent horse!**_

_It seems you are upset. Is that because he did not slay Ganondorf as he was supposed to?_

_**YES! He fell in love with the damned man where he was supposed to stab his chest and then ride home in victory and peace! His inner turmoil stems directly from this idiotic decision he made!**_

_You are very adamant about this. Perhaps you have not considered every option though? What about what he truly wanted, instead of what you thought he should want. He is no fighter, not in his soul. He is like a foal, and you know it as well as I do. He has as much violence in him as a child._

_**He had a duty and he refused it. He needs to pick up a sword again and finish what he started!**_

She laughed at me, throwing her head back and letting her shoulders and chest rise and fall with each syllable.

Growling, I lunged up to my feet, _**how DARE you laugh at me! Goddess or not, you should show respect to the Hero of Time!**_

She went silent in an instant, regarding me with a cold stare. _And that is exactly why he is afraid of himself. Because you react so violently. You are the fool. If you did not thirst for blood so much, if you did not immediately jump up at the chance to hurt or threaten, maybe then he would not have thought of himself as a danger. He thinks that Ganon can handle him even in his fury. Even in YOUR fury. _

_Perhaps, if you had not been so intense, he would have followed along with the original plan of my sisters. _She smiled, sly like a fox and happy as a cat with cream, _however, they have lost him to me and cannot protect him in my lands. Here, he is my hero, my little blonde hero. I decide his fate and I decide his path. _

_You can fight me as long and as hard as you wish, but you will fail miserably in the end and will only bring pain to him and yourself. Wise up, little hot-blooded warrior, think more with your mind and not with your cock and you might not get him to abhor the blade as much as he does. _

I pulled back, insulted, indignant, but tempering it with Her words. She was a goddess after all, I could give Her some credit. _**Are you telling me to get him to fight again?**_

She chuckled, _I am merely suggesting that he needs to come to terms with all the aspects of his mind and realize that he can control you better than lock you away. He…might need you in the future, and you will always need him. He IS your body after all._

I sat back down heavily, crossed my arms over my chest and huffed out an irritated sigh. _**Damn you.**_

_Believe me, little warrior, you will have your time. As he will have his and plans will change according to his choices. As my hero, he has quite a bit more power than he realizes, more so than any of my priestesses realize._

_**Why do you make him your hero? **_

_I will admit that my sisters made a good choice with him. However, they brought him into his status far too quickly, in my opinion. With you to guide him back to the blade he may or may not need, subtly guide him of course, he will walk into the Hero status. I have plans, Warrior, for you, him and all my lovely subjects. Now, the festival begins soon and your body is not yet prepared. Wake him up, warrior, and end this._ Her eyes closed.

The shimmering silver blue light vanished and the priestess let out a deep sigh. Begrudgingly, I let Link back into control and sink into my darkness, to think on her words and meaning.

**Link**

When I awoke, the priestess shook my arm, "My lord warrior, you have to finish preparing. You must finish dressing in your prepared robes." She ushered me to my feet and left me swaying there, blinking away the bleariness and shaking the heaviness from my head.

More candles burst into life as the priestess snapped her fingers and then opened the door. In a flurry, like they'd been waiting at the door, the old women came in, carrying my white clothing.

Over my loincloth they pulled a long-sleeved tunic that dropped down to my knees. At my waist they wrapped the large sash, embroidered in silver flowers and what could have been moons. On top of that a cloak with perfectly cut holes for my arms to slide through and a high cowl on top. It felt suspiciously like some sort of dress, but my silent accusations were brushed aside by the ladies as they pulled the cowl down and pressured me to my knees. Entwining white flowers and silver ribbon in my hair, somehow, they adorned my neck with a heavy silver and white opal necklace that hung low into the open v-neck of my tunic and cloak. My blue necklace, which, admittedly I had not noticed to be missing, was ceremoniously replaced on my neck.

For a terrified moment I thought they might paint my lips and face like a woman also, but they just backed away, looking pleased with themselves. The priestess I had been with before examined me carefully, walking a full circle around me twice. Then she stood before me and a blank look overcame her face.

When it passed, she smiled and nodded, "The Goddess approves."

"Aiyah! To the festival!" the women ushered me from the room and out into the surprising darkness. Had I really spent so long in there?

We quickly came upon the three fires and the cloth of white, I was led there and told to kneel. Only the priestess remained at my side then, as a dull thumping of the drums was the solitary sound in the whole area.

I glanced questioningly up at the priestess and she whispered, "We await the Lord Mage."

Nodding, I looked towards the fortress's main building and watched the double doors along with all the other girls.

----------------------------------------**TBC**

**Alright**, a vote here. Every review counts. All I want to know is boy or girl. lavender or red, which do you think Ganon will choose?

And Yutella's future is finally decided, thanks for the reviews on that, but I'm not going to tell what happens to her just yet!

hehe

Smooch fest warning in next chapter, ya'll! My muse tends to get his way, the pervert! xD

Muse: SWEEET!! smoooooch fest! hahaha

CC: -rolls eyes- perverted elf

Muse: -giggles-

CC: right, anyway, another thing. I'm thinking about putting up in-chapter reviews every five chapters or so. and yes, this little fic is going to last a while. i have a ton of stuff to sift through still.

Muse: smooochie-fest!

CC: right... anyway, Review-- Lavender or Red? Girl or Boy! who do YOU think Ganon chose first? ah hah!


	17. Connections and Conversations

Muse: Warnings for this chapter is kissy-smoochy scene, not too terribly descriptive … makey-outy-ness, and a really loooong strip scene. Did I mention the kissing?

CC: Other warning: a little gory gore fest with Ganon later on, there is a warning before and a end to it so you can skip it if it bothers you! Anyway… on with it!

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen: Connections and Conversatoins**

* * *

**Link**

The doors opened and gaped like the wide mouth of a yawning reptile. But instead of fangs, out came Ganon, powerful and strong, head held high and face set into a grim sort of pleasure.

For a moment, animal instinct spurred me to flee from him, screaming _**SNAKE!**_ and fleeing as though my life depended on it. I locked my knees and forbid myself to move, though. So much had gone into this festival night. I could not ruin it for my silly thoughts.

He strode boldly forward, a cloak of blood red around his shoulders, rippling around him like a waterfall of scarlet. He wore cream and brown underneath, plain clothing really, but stitched with gold thread that gleamed in firelight. He, as I, had bare feet and hands.

He reached the edge of the triangle shaped white cloth and knelt. The priestess walked to him, pulling the cloak from his shoulders and declaring in a strong voice. "You, Lord Mage of the Dragon Heights, of the Desert Fortress of the Goddess, have been mightily blessed with her greatest gift. With the removal of this cloak, you set aside everything that you were before and all that you will be yet. You are now Ganondorf, and in this moment there is nothing more than your body."

She turned and handed the cloak to a priestess who took it and with another woman cut it into three equal pieces. Each length was thrown into a fire, smothering for a moment until they roared up and belched a black cloud.

Turning to me, the priestess pulled out a slim container that glimmered silver and bronze in the light. Her eyes seemed strangely blank as she met my gaze but she smiled fondly and I returned the smile a little nervously. "You, Lord Warrior, Hero of Time, Beast of the Twilight, have been smiled upon by Her Might."

Her voice was soft, but carried over the entire camp, "You, most Honored Guest and the most needing of the Goddess's Blessing, have almost completed the ritual of the Moon Cycle."

She uncapped the container, inside was a silvery substance that looked a little pasty. "You must be marked upon your body, cleansed and purged as it has been, to fully receive the Blessing of the Body. If you accept this, you will be marked by your lover and start the celebration and receive the Blessing you are worthy of. Do you accept?"

I stared at her for a moment, then my eyes dropped to the paste and quickly darted to Ganon, but he was still bowed and on his knee. A quick glance around told me that every woman had bowed her head respectively. The only one who would know my decision was this priestess before me.

I looked at her again. Staring into her eyes. Slowly, I nodded. _I accept._

She smiled and raised her voice in triumph, "The young Lord has accepted the Blessing! May his beloved step forward to proceed!" she stepped to the side as Ganon swiftly got to his feet and walked towards me. I could see the excitement in his eyes and in the way his body seemed to tremble slightly.

He reached up and pulled back the cowl first, his eyes lighting on the flowers and ribbon in my hair. I'd felt silly about them before, but the fire in his eyes burned that thought from me in an instant.

He kissed my forehead softly and then pulled back, cupping my face in his hands. At his side, the priestess held out the slim box. He absently dipped his forefinger into the paste and then drew symbols on my cheeks that outlined my high cheekbones and dropped down the sides like tears.

Then he drew a circle on my forehead and placed a single dot in the middle of it. Kissing the mark, he smiled down at me.

Every move seemed to be deliberate and slow, almost torturous as he continued on. There was a blush of silver on his lips that I found so endearing that my heart throbbed at the sight.

He pulled open my cloak, sliding it from my shoulders and letting it pool around my feet like white rainfall. He outlined the blue necklace on my neck with silver and dropped a line from the bottom line to the largest white opal on the chain necklace.

"Give me your hands," He murmured this into my ear and I quickly brought them up between us. Taking them one at a time, he drew symbols on the back and the front of them. Then he let them drop to my side and his hands lowered to the sash around my waist. I swayed a little on my locked knees, breathing a little to heavily of his scent and unable to see or feel anything but him.

He pulled off the sash, sliding it down slightly to fit over my backside and then sharply tugged it forward and smashing my mouth to his in a mouthwatering kiss. The only place we touched was there, lips against each other, as he hungrily sucked my breath, and more, away.

Releasing me, he dropped the sash to the ground to join the cloak. He then fell to his knees, the silver box of paste in one hand and the other drawing swirling runes all over my legs and the tops of my feet.

I shivered, staring at him, watching him with a strange and almost distant curiosity. I burned all over, yearning for him in a way I was no so sure of yet.

Then, as he stood, he pulled off my tunic with a swift movement and let it too float carelessly to the ground.

I shivered, suddenly exposed to the world and to him, and he continued to draw runes over my body. My head fell back and I became absorbed in the feel of his fingertip against my stomach and thighs and arms and chest.

I whimpered softly when he colored my nipples with the paste. It hurt now, how much I wanted him. How much I needed him.

My body shook, more from that need than any chill, as he brought me into another crushing kiss. I could not respond very well, I admit, for I was so lost that I felt like he had always been in my mouth and would always be there.

His hand was at my back now, blindly scrabbling runes of ancient magic that rippled all around us. I felt this swell of magic as he tossed the box aside and kissed me again and again each time as hungrily and as furiously as the last, if not more so.

The humming of voices was almost lost to me, so deep I was in my mind, but I faintly remembered the women and felt they must be doing_something_ important. I hardly cared what it was, though, for Ganon had swept me into his arms, crushed against his chest, lifted into the air, with one hand cupping my backside and the other crushing around the back of my head.

I couldn't stand not touching him anymore and my hands gripped his body like a pair of leeches. One hand scrabbled into his hair, digging in firmly and twirling strands of curly red-orange around my nimble fingers. The other hand gripped the back of his shirt, just above the space between his shoulder blades, gnarling the fabric as I strove to hold myself against him.

I don't remember stumbling away with him, leaving the fire and the dancing and the music to enter and hide in the building we slept in. I don't remember how far we went in, but we went into the first door we could find and staggered inside.

There seemed to be more than one bed in the room, but that hardly mattered as Ganon pressed me down onto one of them and kissed and kissed my mouth again and then my neck and then my mouth again. His hands pulled at his own clothes and they also broke the silver necklace around my neck and tossed it aside like gaudy jewelry.

We wore almost nothing as we pressed hot bodies against each other. I could feel his weight looming over me like a dark shadow, a monster, a beast, panting and needing just as much as I.

He pawed at me and I clawed at him, each of us passionately loosing ourselves in kisses and strokes and then he…

Then he was pressing against my need with his leg, and he was crooning in my ear things that I'd never heard before. It made things I'd never before imagined flood my mind and made me want all the more.

Eternity passed in a moment and spots of color filled my closed or opened eyes and I felt my spine arch and my muscles quiver and I screamed. I wished I could have screamed his name, but having always been unable to articulate words, I just screamed and screamed and hoped he understood it was pleasure and not pain that drove me this crazy.

Soon after, I lay panting in the darkness, hardly awake and grinning like a fool. I closed my eyes and let my head rest against Ganon's cheek, delighting in the trembling breath that rippled down my neck before I fell asleep.

**Sukrabella**

We danced and sang even more when we heard Link's impassioned cry. My son had done it! My son had done it! He had managed to get little innocent Link into bed!

Oh how we celebrated. There was much alcohol consumption and much gaiety and we danced…

How we danced and sang and drank! It was quite the celebration!

We could not have, however, imagined what happened next as a woman came stumbling out of the building. The only other woman there besides that disgusting brat form Link's home village. This was the girl who'd drawn the short straw and had to take watch the night of the celebration.

She was shaking and blushing. Hysterical and fighting the absolute lust that raged in her eyes. Soon the festivities calmed as she began to tell her story in a trembling yet speedy voice we almost didn't understand.

It went just like this…

"I was guarding the girl, like I was ordered to, when the door bust open. First I though Mistress Desi had returned and was in one of her moods, but then Lord Ganon and Master Link stumbled in through the door and collapsed together onto a bed.

"I tried to leave, honest I did, to give them their space! But I could not! So hot was their passion that I was fixated upon them instantly and was rooted to my spot! I was lost in the sight and quite forgot myself and my duties!

"It was only when the stopped, both satiated and drifting to sleep that I realized what had just happened before me! Believe me, I tried to move, but I was still frozen to my spot.

"Then I remembered the girl, and to my horror I found that she … she had awoken! She watched them with a dark look, unable to move for her injuries. Her mouth, bandaged as it was, could not open, but I saw from the look in her eyes she would have liked to leap up like a banshee and tear Lord Ganon apart!

"I knew not what to do so I came straight away out here to you, my priestess. Please, do something to fix this! Lord Ganon will be furious to know that this girl …that she…" suddenly loosing her voice the woman dropped to her knees before me.

I stared in stunned silence, quite alarmed. But everything was hazy from alcohol. Looking around, the women seemed to be as confused as I. We could not thinks straight and I believe it would have been incorrect to say that many of us could go five or six stes without falling into a giggling and drunken mass.

I had to make a decision quickly, though. I turned to find someone not all that drunk. But only the guard, who I could not remember her name, and Tyella were sober. Tyella was only so because she was pregnant and would not drink during the nine month gestation.

Quickly, I ordered the two to come with me and we hurried to the infirmary. "We have to remove the girl, or something, before they wake up and before she tries to confront them. Alright?"

The two nodded.

I had thought we came in plenty of time, but the shrill and feral shriek that came from the infirmary told me otherwise. We ran, but I knew we were too late to smooth this problem over without my son ever knowing otherwise. I had been hoping just to kill the girl quietly and pretending it was her injuries that caused it… but now…

_Now I may not need to resort to such extreme tactics,_ I though this as my hand reached for the infirmary doorknob and pulled on it.

To my horror, it was locked.

From inside the room came another mountain-lion-yet-woman-like scream and I shuddered. _Oh sweet Goddess…someone will come out of there dead… I __**know**__ it. _

**Ganon**

It was amazing.

Could I describe it any other way? Astonishing. Miraculous. Mind-blowing. Wonderful. Incredible. Mind-_boggling_. Fantastic. Marvelous. Everything I dreamed of and more. We drove each other crazy and I knew he wouldn't regret it.

That is, until the bitch flung herself at our bed, shrieking like a wildcat. Her bandaged hands and arms beat against me and I turned on her, snarling low like a dragon and baring my teeth too.

Link awoke with a start beneath me, eyes wide and sharp blue with shock that shifted immediately into an icy glare that closed his thoughts from me. This was that warrior Link from before, from the night of the fight, this was not my Link.

_**Get off of me**_, he snarled like a wolf, _**Get off you murderer!**_ He shoved up with surprising strength and pushed me aside.

The girl screamed again and lunged at him, hitting him square in the chest. He tossed her back onto the floor and then got out of the bed. Casting a clearly disgusted look down at his body, he pulled away from the girl and I.

Brief surprise registered on his face as he recognized her whimpering form. He turned accusing eyes to me and curled his lip back, _**What is Ilia doing here? Why have you kidnapped her? Why is she injured? Why did you not tell Link?**_

I, kneeling on the couch, coldly replied, "He did not need to know that she followed you through the desert…where she should have died."

He licked his lips, scowled and then spat onto the ground. _**I am going to tell him when he awakes. I advise you don't do anything to her. **_

Goddess, I could hardly move, let alone speak, in response to that as he turned and walked from the room. My eyes unwillingly yet eagerly followed his body as he sauntered out of the infirmary.

Then I looked at the girl, cowering on the floor. Getting from the bed myself, I left her there, storming from the room. My body, numb from the combination of fury and sexual satisfaction, trembled slightly as I stalked out of the room.

**Sukrabella**

I grabbed the girls by the arms and pulled back. "Come on, come on!" we retreated farther down the hall and waited.

The door opened with a slam and shut with another one as Link stormed by, nearly running as he took off down the hall.

Maybe thirty seconds later, my son exited as well. The fury in his face made all three of us shrink father into the shadows as he stormed by. I knew exactly where he was headed. His dungeons…

Heart pounding, I led the other two to the infirmary. I had to see… I had to make sure… Did the girl survive?

She lay half curled on the floor and moaning in pain and horror. The guard, Nisella her name, and I lift her into the bed and Tyella goes to fetch Desi. The girl had torn some of her bandages open and she was babbling nonsensically.

Desi quickly arrived and muttered as she waved us away and out of the infirmary to deal with the girl on her own.

"Watch the door and this time, keep everyone out." I told her firmly and then left with Tyella.

Returning to the festival I was bombarded with chatter and questions.

"What happened?"

"Is Master Link alright?"

"How is Master Ganon?"

"And that nasty girl? She's dead, right?"

I hushed them with raised hands. "They are all alive. However, things did not end very smilingly as we had hoped between our lord and Master Link."

This did not go over well and the women muttered amongst themselves for a while before I commanded them into silence again. "Alright, we're going to see how this plays out and hopefully, it'll be alright. We know Lord Ganon is a smart man, he just is emotional also. Give them time."

"What about tomorrow's festival?"

I made a grim expression, "Worse case we pressure Link through prayer with the Goddess and She will convince him to finalize the five nights. Then we'll have a week and a half or so before we leave for the plateau and by then they will be back together. Put them in your prayers, my sisters, and keep them there."

There was respectful silence for a while before one of the younger women, glancing around and asking, "Have they made a decision about the baby yet? I'm hoping they'll have an adorable little boy myself."

There were a few titters of laughter and I rolled my eyes, everyone was still rather drunk… "I just gave him the potions this morning!"

"Yes…but… I want to _know_!" the girl insisted.

This time there was actual laughter. "Ladies please!" I cried in exasperation.

"I'm making a formal bet!" called another woman. "Ten shingles that it's a girl!"

Instant clamoring erupted around me and I, yet again, rolled my eyes. But it was healthy for them to do this; it showed that they had not lost hope.

**Warrior Link**

Disgusted with my body, I scrubbed it clean of silver marks, sweat and semen and then dried it off roughly and dressed in fresh clothing. Standing in his room, he felt trapped, enclosed…

Ripping off the blue necklace I stared at it. _What the hell did those runes mean?_ I threw it against the wall in my anger. I could survive the Poes better than that fool could. Besides…I doubted that Kym would let her Boy Hero get hurt anymore than the Trio had.

I pulled on boots that I had left off since my arrival and tightened a cloak around my neck. Leaning out my window, I put my forefinger and thumb just inside my bruised lips and whistled out a familiar and specific tune.

Down below I heard the answering whinny from Epona and saw her flashing red and white body in the edge of the corral. Pulling out my hookshot and attaching it to the wooden shutters and sliding out of the room.

Ricocheting down the wall to the ground below, I dislodged the hookshot and tucked it away. Sneaking over to the corral, I leaped the fence and then kicked onto her back. She danced around for a moment before I leaned over and rubbed her cheek.

She looked over her shoulder at me, expectantly waiting for an explanation.

_**Look, can we just run out in the dark for a while? I don't want to think about this place or that man anymore tonight…**_ I gave her a pleading look, knowing full well she could not resist.

She snorted but dipped her head in a horsy nod.

_**Let's go then, for just a little ride…**_ I nudged her with my knees and heels and we picked up speed, turned a wide circle and then jumped the fence. Hunching down over her neck I led her around the back of the Fortress.

I couldn't help the smirk as we neared a darkened gate with a low door. I knew that there would be one…

Epona jumped it and we escaped into the dark night. For the first time in a long time I felt free…

* * *

**[warning of heavyish-gore: Ganon relieves his tension and stress**

**Ganon**

I watched the man who'd attacked my beloved writhe on the ground in front of me. Vicious boils grew, climaxed and burst into a festering wound of puss and stink. Then, before the sickening yellow slime finished oozing, the boils grew again.

It was a delightful cycle, and continued over and over again in all the best parts of his body. The privates.

He screamed, blood dribbling from his mouth where I'd already smashed out all of his teeth and torn his tongue into useless slivers of meat and blood. The man flopped like a fish just pulled from a river, his body quivering as his muscles spasm in contractions that last either seconds or continually.

I grew bored with this and stilled his body with a twitch of my hand. Murmuring half spells, I watched as little worms niggled their way out of his lower body.

Reclining in my chair, cushioned and with floating food and wine at my behest, I watched as the worms put holes in his body and quickly reduced his legs to bones. Bones with little holes in them.

I smiled; pleased with the punishment I had delayed since Link's arrival. "You foolish man."

He looked up at me with dark eyes, blood spluttering from his mouth as he tried to talk.

"You got my baby hurt."

The man groaned and gurgled, rolling his head from side to side in agony.

"You hurt my love; do you understand that you fool?"

I cast more magic upon him, turning the very liquid in his arms to acid, and watching as it churned his muscles and bone into gas, creating bubbles and ripples under his arms. He screamed; the sound wet and high pitched as he flailed his arms about uselessly.

Then, before the acid spread to far, I magicked his skin to part and watched in delight as the sludge of melted bone, flesh and discolored blood oozed from his body. I watched this for a while before I grew tired with the whole affair and started to cook his body.

Getting up from my feet I approached him as he burned from the inside out, the imaginary fire flickering in his blackening eyes. At the last moment, before his heart and lungs fully failed him, I lifted my foot and placed it against forehead and nose. Slowly, terribly slowly, I crushed his skull under my sole and pressed down until it popped open like an overripe melon.

Brains oozed out, steaming like freshly canned jam as his eyes rolled off to the side. Blood smeared all over the ground and filled the room with its stench. Soothed, I walked away, leaving bloody footprints as I examined my cages.

Far in the back of one of the prisoners cowered in the corner. It was the dead man's partner in crime. I gave him a little smile and crooned, "Don't worry; you'll have much longer than he did..."

He was silent in his fear, but I could see it from the whites of his eyes and it delighted me. Moving down the row, face the piggish man who'd scammed me out of the correct honey for my love.

"And you'll get a time all for yourself, my little merchant friend!" I was ecstatic now, satiated from the past rutting, present torturing and future children. Which reminded me, I had to make a decision about those potions. Boy or girl?

What the hell, why not take both and see what happened! Ah no, mother would be disappointed. One or the other… one or the other…

Maybe…I should ask Link. Then I could see if he was feeling back to his adorable self and not that murderous monster. That is, after I bathed myself.

I walked out of the dungeon, smiling happily and with my hands clasped behind my back. And I could say I'm taking that blasted girl home but secretly return her to my dungeons! Brilliant! That way I can get rid of her and not horrify my lover.

Because to horrify Link's pure sensibilities would cast him from me permanently and I could not bear that for the world.

Not for the entire world.

**[gore over!**

* * *

**Warrior Link**

After about half a mile, Epona slowed down and we strolled under the stars together in silence. Eventually I dropped down from her back, looped the reigns around the saddle horn and walked beside her with my hand on her neck.

I was fine just strolling silently with her, but she seemed displeased about something and stopped, nipping my sleeve and snuffling at my side. _There is something wrong. What is wrong my love?_

I stared up at the sky for a moment before answering, my eyes following the dots of light that sprinkled the sky. Then I turned to her and kissed her nose, _**there is nothing wrong with me. It is the fool who owns this body, who runs it around and believes what he sees and thinks he knows and what is told to him. It is this fool who does not search out the truth or the reason behind the things that are done around him and to him. **_

_**It disgusts me how naïve he is. **_

_You cannot keep pressuring him!_ She stamped her foot and snorted, giving me an accusatory glare. _It is tearing him up inside! He was hysterical after what you did to that woman and to Ganon!_

_**Do not refer to that man with his name, he is a despicable monster who deserves to die! **_

She turned on me, baring teeth and arching her neck, _You are just as monstrous for what you have done! Forcing him to spill the blood of those he has come to admire!_

_**I do not force! **_

_How dare you lie!_ She pulled away. _You know his heart and his mind better than he does. Yet you make him do something you __**know**__ he will hate himself for. You urge him to fight and to kill, things he wishes he'd never done or do again! You make him hate you, a part of himself he must accept as much as he accepts the wolf. You make him hate the wolf for favoring you._

_**You know as well as I that the wolf has not come to speak to him, nor has giving me any audible support!**_ I draw back from her, crossing my arms over my chest and glaring.

_Yes,_she sneered, _but has he fought you back either? You know that the wolf is upset with Link for choosing to quit. He just isn't as adamant about proving it wrong and forcing Link to choose what he wants. He thinks more of the welfare of all your body, not of what he wants alone. You could learn from him._

I turned away from her. Her true words stung and I wanted to tear the barbs out before they dug in too deep. I looked back at her as I heard sand shifting and saw her walking back to the Fortress.

I dashed to catch up with her, caught her face in my hands and asked her, _**Wait, why are you leaving me?**_

She looked at me with dark eyes and sighed tiredly. _I am getting old; I cannot play about all night anymore. I am …glad you spoke with me and brought me out here to see the night sky. But please, I must go back and rest. Return soon, I do not want him to thunder about for Link. Goodnight. _She nuzzled my shoulder and then walked away slowly.

I watched her as she walked. She couldn't be so old. She'd only been around since I was six or so… a young filly when I met her. Perhaps only a year old at the time. She was bright red and her white mane and tail brightly flashing in the afternoon sun.

But this image of her, walking away in the startling light of the moon and the sun, her white marks and hair were glowing faintly and her coat seemed strangely dark brown. She did look tired and old. We had done much together through the years, the fighting and the traveling and the ranching.

Perhaps this sand trap and the travel to get here had aged her more than she gave away to Link. More than she'd given away to me.

I put my back to her and crouched down on the sand. Shivering in the cold I stared up at the sky. What the hell was I supposed to _do_?

* * *

**Review please! **

Thanks to One-Eyed Monster for reminding me about the wolfishness, I can't believe I left that out for so long! I'm so glad for all of the reviews on boy or girlness! I just want to say that I was asking to see what YOU guys thought of what Ganon-head would choose.

Not what i've planned... hee hee. anyway.. special thanks to O-E M (loved your review to bits! i even printed it out and read it a couple of times!) and rainbow flavored fetus (babeh!). I greatly appreciated your reviews! Everyone else i love too because i love you for reading and reviewing!

I do have another question, one that i HAVEN'T yet decided on. Should Link go through a transformation as a wolf or not? do you even care about that? do you just want to see the baby or whatever? do you want me to shut up and put out the next chapter? hahahah!

anyway

**REVIEW please! i luff you!**


	18. Acceptance and Honeys' Return

**Disclaimer: ya'll know i dont own zelda kiddies!**

Righty-o: made my decision on wolf transformation and you'll see the result. You get the result of the baby choice by the end of this chapter! xD some of you guessed right!

Muse: You guy's are gonna like the end of this chapter. Honey makes a return and last night's affections return full force! 

CC: -sighs- it totally sets itself up…

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen: Acceptance and Honeys' Return**

* * *

**Warrior Link**

I decided to sit out there and meditate while I waited for the sun to rise. The air was freezing against my skin, but that was because of the climate and not from the advance of Poes. 

I dove deep inside myself, inside that fool and farther down to reach the consciousness of the wolf. The wolf bore more wisdom than I ever could hope to attain. I needed to speak to him if I were to ever convince Link to accept me as the power behind his courage. 

The dive stopped when my 'feet' touched the 'ground'. I looked around and was not surprised to find myself surrounded in woods and grasslands. There lay the wolf, basking in his might and insight upon a shaded knoll. He turned unfathomable blue-silver eyes upon me and tilted its head to the side. 

Getting to his feet, he padded down the hill to me. At the shoulder, he stood to the bottom of my sternum with his head a half foot higher still. He was as long as Epona, though only about half as wide as her. 

_Welcome, warrior. _He pressed his nose to my open palm and then licked it, accepting me readily.

Ah, if only convincing the fool to accept me was that easy!

A mixture of amusement and exasperation filled those blue eyes as he sat down in front of me. _To start with, you could stop calling him a fool. He works with courage, you insolent man, he works with his heart, not his mind and not his sword. _

_**You mean my sword.**_ My hand went up to my shoulder and I gave a little smile. In this dreamscape I had my beloved blade still.

_His._ The wolf reiterated, _let me tell you something warrior. When you accept him and his decisions as a splinter of your own, then half the battle will be won. You cannot keep referring to him as if he is another body, he is merely another mind. Not even that. He is merely another distinct emotion and attribute of this body we share._

I scowled. 

Imperiously, the wolf regarded me in silence until I nodded my head and stopped scowling. _**And if I accept him and his silly antics?**_

_Then he will not fear you and will be able to call upon you when he needs you most. _

_**But what he does with that **__man__** all the time. The touching and the kissing and the lies! He is so naïve!**_

The expression of the wolf softened and he glanced over to the side before meeting my gaze with gem hard eyes again, _I have started to put forth my own instincts into his mind. Mind you, I strip them of any wolfish feelings first, but the man is a snake and I have already planted that very image in his mind. _

Moodily I scuff my foot on the ground, _**how soon until he gets over himself and realizes what a monster that **__man__** is?**_

The wolf shook his head and let out a wuffling sigh. _I cannot tell. But it will be sooner if you let him fool about before coming to his senses and understands that we are right. You cannot choose his path anymore than the goddesses, any four of them, can. No matter what tools they try to use. _

_You cannot account for human factors, those Ladies haven't quite figured that one out yet._ The wolf grinned, his teeth bared in sharp amused scorn. _Link has a tendency to listen so far as all his mind and heart is in agreement. Once he acknowledges us… well… we'll be part of his mind that he recognizes._

I smiled in return. It seemed that we were in very nearly perfect agreement. 

The wolf nodded, then spoke, _the sun is rising, warrior. Get the Courage back to the Fortress before the Snake realizes that his prized possession is missing._

I nodded and stood. In a moment, I was drifting up to the surface of my mind, the hidden forest of the wolf's world fading below me. 

Opening my eyes, I stared out at the reddish pink sky and smiled. _**Yes,**_ I sighed to myself, _**I accept your foolish meanderings, Link. But that doesn't mean I agree, nor does it mean I will let you be.**_

But for now, I had to go back to that despicable place…

* * *

**Link**

When I opened my eyes, I could see the wooden slats of a barn and for a moment, I tried to listen for the sound of an Ordon goat braying. However the only sound I heard was soft whuffles and the occasional whinny from a horse.

The smell and heat in the air kept me from moving quickly as I thought about getting up and looking around. I rolled over onto my belly, inhaling the scent of the hay and smiling pleasantly. If I wasn't careful…I'd just fall… asleep…again…zzzzz

* * *

**Epona**

I could feel him sleeping in the hay. I'd seen him enter the stables early this morning. Was it any surprise that his Warrior side would take them where they both felt comfortable? A compromise, I suppose…

I didn't find it all that surprising, though, when Ganon stormed to the walls, and there was a flurry of action amid all the women. It was obvious that he'd sent them looking after my Link.

Watching them in amusement for a while, I decided to trot over to a fence and beckon for a visitor. It was a young child that came running over to me and hopped up on the fence. Her eyes were bright and her face excited as she grinned and asked, "Mistruss Horse, d'you know where the young Lord has runned off to?"

I bobbed my head and then tossed it in the direction of the stables. 

The girl laughed, "Sleepin' in da hay? What a funny man!" 

I snorted.

She patted my nose and offered me a chunk of sugar, "Thankee Mistruss!" then she scampered off to the stable as I chomped on the sugar happily. 

About then a call from one of my four-legged friends reached me from where they sat about the watering hole and I dismissed my silly Link to go and lounge with them in relatively cool shade.

* * *

**Ganon**

He was found in the stables, asleep in the hay, and I had him brought back to my room. Early afternoon had rolled around by the time he awoke, rubbing his eyes and making adorably soft noises. I hurried to the bedside, my earlier irritation from his wandering off to sleep in the hay vanishing as I watched him in eagerness. 

"Good morning, love."

He turned sky blue eyes on me, slightly wide but warm and smiled. My heart trembled and my breath came out as a fluttering thing. 

_Good morning, Ganon._

"Did you sleep well?" I scooted closer.

He sat up, _Yes. Did you?_

"Yes." I lied with a smile. In truth I had slept only a little and it had been a very difficult night. My mind had raced with the decisions with the potion, that girl, our growing relationship, and the strange feeling of doom edging all of my dreams that I managed to have. "I slept just fine. I missed you, though." 

I tilted my head to the side and reached out plucking a piece of hay from his blonde hair. "Did you have fun in the stables?"

He blushed, an endearing look, _I woke up and didn't know where I was. I thought I was back home until one of the girls found me._

I frowned slightly, "Link, _this_ is your home now…" I gestured to the room. 

Understanding flooded his face as he grabbed my hand up and strove to apologize to me. _Yes, yes it is. I just forgot it for a moment. I had this dream where Ilia came here and tried to get me to come back hom—er to Ordon. It was very real._

And then came the moment, would I tell him about the girl being here?

I smiled and caressed his hand, "What a silly dream. She wouldn't get this far into the desert, its dangerous, besides, you know she's back home in that little town."

He nodded and then hesitantly drew my hand up and pressed it against his cheek. His eyes were bright from my reassurance, _thank you_.

I leaned in and kissed him gently, just enough to get him to close his eyes and forget about that filthy bitch. When I pulled back, he was flustered, and his lips were wet with out mixed saliva. 

"Link, I have something important to ask you."

He nodded and allowed me to draw him from the bed. I took him into my study where the two potions still sat on my desk. I gestured to them and asked him, "I have to drink one of them, but I cannot decide. Which color do you prefer?"

Link glanced at me, _may I look closer at them?_

"Go ahead."

He walked up to them, picked one up in each hand and looked at them one at a time in silence. I anticipated the question, "_what do they do?_" but it never came. He just looked at them some more, opened first one, sniffed it, closed it and did the same with the other. Then he set them down and turned too look at me. 

Still the expected question did not come, he just smiled,_ if you could take both, would you? I like them both equally. Its up to you really…_

I bobbed my head, still waiting for him to ask, but he never did. He just did what I told him to and solved the problem. "I suppose I can take both of them."

He handed them to me, _then go ahead._With a coy glance to the door and then back to me he asked, _may I go to my rooms?_

Arching an eyebrow I said he could and watched him walk out of the room. The saunter from last night was gone in favor of a simple stride. Personally, I wished his saunter was still there. 

Then I turned my attention to the potions. So… it was still just up to me. I uncorked the red potion, the boy potion, and stared at it for a moment more before putting it to my lips and drinking it.

Then I lifted the lavender one to my mouth and drank it as well. Might as well leave the true choice to the Goddess, or chance, whichever had more power here.

* * *

**Link**

I slipped back into my room and instantly began searching everywhere for the blue necklace. I vaguely remembered taking it off and throwing it, as well as leaving the fortress with Epona last night, but it had the quality of a dream.

However, I was not about to go without my protection from the poes, so I had to find that strip, no matter how much my instincts warned me against it. 

I found it in the corner of my room and sighed with relief as I put it on. Feeling back to myself, I got up and brushed myself off. Then I realized that I was dressed in a long tunic and riding pants, which were too hot for the desert. 

Stripping down, I wantonly tossed my clothing aside and then began to search for something to wear in my loincloth. 

Then my eye caught on the wondrous curves of a honey jar and my search instantly vanished from my mind. Gleefully I caught up the jar, cradling it in my chest and crooning to it wordlessly as I stroked its terracotta surface. With a gentle kiss to my first love, my first true love, I settled on my couch and opened its beautiful lid.

[right, that scene just sets itself up, doesn't it?

* * *

**Ganon**

After I took the potions, I decided to check in on that insufferable bitch. Heading down to the infirmary, I ran across my mother, who was heading up to see me, apparently.

"My son," she beamed, "how are you this afternoon? And Master Link?"

"We are well." I continued downstairs, she turned to walk with me. "He is in his rooms doing…something. I've given him a little time to himself." She nodded approvingly. "I took the potions, as well, just a minute or two ago. Link said he didn't care which of the two I took, in fact he prompted me to take them both. You know, leave it up to the Goddess." I gave her a smug smile. 

She nodded, grinning. "Wise choice my son. Is he excited about the outcome?"

I raised an eyebrow, "He certainly acted a little coy after we talked about it. I am aiming to, ah, visit him as soon as I deal with the little ranch bitch."

Mother looked very happy. "Please, my son, allow me to deal with the girl and return to your love immediately." She turned to stand in front of me. In my pleasant mood, I stopped and gave her a thoughtful look. That plan certainly sounded better than what I was going to do…

"Alright." I turned away, "Just watch it for a while, I'm not sure if he remembers seeing her last night. But when I know, you'll know." 

"Of course my lord." The way her voice sounded, I could tell she was bowing. I felt my lips twitch into another smile. Yes, it was good to have power…

--------------------------------

Reaching Link's room, I hesitated for a moment, deciding whether or not I should knock. I decided to go half way and opened the door while knocking and calling out, "Link? I'm coming in."

There was a muffled, sticky sound that came from his couch that sounded like "_Ghh?_" I rounded the couch and found a sight that had never even entered any of my fantasies but probably would never leave them. It was like this: Link, wearing only a loincloth and the collar, one hand in the honey pot, the other up to his knuckles in his mouth, looking up at me upside down with huge blue eyes and honey, impossibly, _all over his entire body_. 

A glance at his feet confirmed it. Honey glimmered on his smooth skin_everywhere_. Instantly the idea of _licking him clean_ entered my mind. And I could spend all afternoon on him too…

Never before had I gotten so hard so fast as I did wit that thought and this sight. 

Pulling a glossy hand from the pot, he looked up from his horizontal position and waved a little, giving me a smiled as he withdrew his other hand from his mouth. _Hullo Ganon… Sorry I'm such a mess._ And he blushed.

I cleared my throat, but my voice was still hoarse as I looked at him with hunger, "Well, suppose I help you clean up."

He looked down at himself, then back at me and frowned, _oh no, that would take too much of your time._

I walked around to the front of the couch, one hand slowly pulling my tunic up from my waistband. "Link, I have all the time in the world to for you."

He blushed again and sat up, giving me space to kneel on the couch._Would you? It seems I have gotten honey in some awkward places. _

Pulling my tunic off and throwing it aside, I didn't care whether or not his innocent behavior was an act or honest. I leaned in and licked with my tongue along his leg. Now, personally, I have no sweet tooth at all and all this honey would probably make me sick to my stomach, but given a chance to lavishly lick my lover Link's limbs, no matter what coated them, I would take it.

Especially since he was sober now and would clearly remember the want I could make him feel for me. And so I licked. Down his leg, sucking on ankle and individually attending to each toe before moving to his right leg. I stayed on my knees and used my hands only to brace myself. I wanted the only contact between us to be my mouth on his skin. 

By the time I made it back up to his thigh, the honey pot had left his hands and he was arched back onto the couch arm, his sticky neck exposed and his arms hugging close to his chest. 

As I began to head up the side of his chest, my actions elicited panting moans and quivers of pleasure, especially when my tongue toyed with his hard nipples. Leaning over him and not touching him became increasingly hard, as did other things, while we progressed. He kept insisting on thrusting his hips upwards to hit mine and I had to keep pulling back. Which only made him whine and thrust up again. 

He wriggled his fingers when I held them in my mouth and giggled when I licked up his arm. He whimpered when I licked over the sensitive hickeys and down across his nipples. 

At one point, I caught a look on his face, _why won't you put your hips down!_

In his ear I huskily whispered the first answer I could, "your loincloth has honey on it, I don't want it sticking to my clothes."

Then his hands, now clean, which had been clutching my shoulders, dropped away and he surprised me yet again. He tore the sticky cloth off and threw it aside. Arching his back and bending his knees just so got his hips up and he half growled in irritation. 

I couldn't stand it anymore and gave in. I pressed my need to his want and we ricocheted into orgasms-heaven together. He came first, like he had last night, screaming in pleasure. I came after him, groaning his name and slumping down on him. 

We lay, content and satiated, together. I thought he would sleep, but he stirred under me. He patted my cheek to get my attention and I was pleased to give it to him. 

_Ilia is not safe her. I want you to have an escort take her all the way back to Ordon. I don't want to see her again, I don't think I can handle seeing her break again. Please, don't hurt her, just take her home. _He looked at me with that plea in his eyes, wide and pure and naïve… _Promise me, Ganon, please._

I closed my eyes and nodded wearily, "I promise. I'll have an escort take her home."

He brushed his lips on my cheek in thanks and I sighed. Ruffling his hair, I opened my eyes and made a face of slight annoyed disgust. "Link, you have honey in your _hair_. How in the Goddess's name did you get honey in your hair!" I drew my hand out I scrunched my nose and scowled.

Link just laughed at me.

* * *

**Please review!**

Yes yes, I know, two snog-fests in as many chapters. I hope you appreciate! xD**  
**


	19. Wedding Bands and Wine

SO the final festival night... yay! FINALLY! soon we'll get to the baby-makin part! xD

Disclaimer: i don't own them! xD 

Eh, can't leave the honey alone...  


* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: Wedding Bands and Wine**

* * *

**Link**

_What do I have to do for this one?_ I asked with a quick glance up at Ganon. 

He squeezed my hand and replied, "As far as I know, this is the bonding of soul, heart and mind towards one purpose. Era, that's the priestess who has been doing the speaking during the nights, she'll probably ask you something so just think about it and then give your honest answer. This is the final night for this festival, though."

I nodded. Then we reached the doors and he opened them for me. The women stood around, quietly, waiting for me. I left Ganon at the door and hurried over to the cloth in the middle of the fires. It was red tonight.

The priestess, Era, stood there with a black box held in her flat palms. She bowed low when I stopped in front of her. When she straightened she spoke with a clear voice, "As the Honored Guest and the most needing of the Goddess's Blessing, you must make the final decision pertaining to your acceptance of the Goddess's Blessing. Accepting the ring inside this box with tie you irrevocably to the wearer of the other ring. Do you accept this gift of the Goddess?" She opened the box. Inside two identical gold rings looked up at me. 

I swallowed dryly and tentatively reached for the box.

Era pulled it back, her voice firm, "Beware, Master Link, once you take the gift, you cannot reject it. Your soul will bond with the metal. Are you sure that you want to commit? Are you sure you have someone you want to give the matching ring to?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, reaching deep inside myself. A glimmer of response rose in my mind. 

_**You are actually seeking me out? This is new…**_

_Should I accept the ring?_

_**What ring?**_

I shunted the image, and the words that went with it, to that other entity. _That ring. Should I take it?_

His silence lasted an eternity.

_**Do you think it is the correct path for you to follow?**_

_I don't! That's why I'm asking!_

_**I wouldn't know one way or the other. In my opinion, I wouldn't take it, but…you must do as you feel is best. Besides, you are merely bonding with the metal itself, not the wearer thereof. I don't have too many problems with that. **_He flippantly waved his hand at me. 

…_The wolf. What does the wolf think? _

_**He's here too, why don't you ask him?**_

_Are you insane? He's a murderer!_

…_**He will just say what I did. Choose for yourself. Do you want that ring on your finger? Do you want the 'Blessing of the Goddess'? Do you even know what it is?**_

_No…_I admitted, _I do not know what it is…But Ganon…He…he says…_

_**And of course he has your best interest at heart, **_there was audible scorn in that voice. 

_I…_

_**Take the ring, Link. It shouldn't hurt. But you should make the choice on your own. Just…just know that I'll be here whatever you choose. I'll be here to protect you.**_

_What happened to you?_

He gave a wry smile and shook his head. _**Later, for now, return to the ring. It is a more pressing matter.**_

I nodded and opened my eyes. Era stared at me, watching carefully. I could feel the eyes of all the women and Ganon on me as I reached out and plucked the slim gold ring from the case. _I will bond with the ring._ I slipped it on my finger. It burned against my skin for a moment and then flared a white-gold before going cold and dark. 

Era lifted the box again, "The other ring, Young Warrior, to whom does it belong?"

I took the ring out and looked over towards Ganon. He came at my gesture and knelt down before me. I took his hand and put the ring on it, then kissed his cheek. With a smile he thanked me, "Link…I…I do not have the words to express how I feel." His voice was husky and deep. His eyes shimmered with tears.

I hugged him around his thick neck and ignored the cheer that rose from the women. He held me close against his body and then drew back, only to gently kiss my lips and say, "Shall we feast, my love?"

We soon sat together on the cloth, eating fruit, meat, cheese, breads, and confections of all types. There was fruit juice, but no wine, served to me or Ganon so I did not worry about loosing my head. I sat perched on Ganon's leg, quite literally stuffing my mouth with cakes and such.

Ganon laughed and asked, "How can you continue to eat so much sugar! You finished off an entire jar of honey today already!"

I wrinkled my nose at him, _it was you who ate half of it! And besides, I love cake._

He seemed a lot more physically affectionate tonight, keeping a hand near or on me and leaning in to kiss my cheek, shoulder and hair from time to time. It was nice, though, to feel how much he liked me and I quite warmed up to the touches. 

The women danced and sang and beat there drums as we ate. I felt like I sat on top of the world and I knew my face showed that feeling clearly. It was a good dinner.

* * *

**Ganon**

He fell asleep against me, curled up in my lap and with a half eaten cake in his hand. The moon had risen fully by the time he'd done so, and the women were smiling with glazed expressions of happiness. Several times after he fell asleep, many came over and quietly congratulated us. 

Eventually, though, the night wore on me as well and I picked him up and carried him to my room. Tucking him into bed, the scent of hot hay all around, I went into the bathroom to wash and change. 

Then I climbed into the bed next to him, smiling a little when he shifted from the pillow to my chest. Closing my eyes and putting an arm around him, I kissed the top of his head and fell asleep.

* * *

**Link**

The next morning, I lay in bed, my left hand up in the air as I looked at the ring on my finger. It glinted in the sunlight, splashing rays of light about the room. It was like a wedding band, the way it was colored and where it was placed on my ring finger. 

Marriage…Ilia always thought she would marry me…

I clenched my hand into a fist and brought it down. I didn't know quite how I felt about not being with her, not living on the ranch and not having children. I supposed that maybe I always wanted a child… but with Ganon, and the two of us being men, there would be no way to have children.

I sighed and nuzzled closer to his chest, inhaling the smell of him. Faint jasmine, musk and an under-scent of blood. I waited for a moment, wondering if his smell would be alluring now as it was last night when I fell asleep. 

I frowned when I realized it didn't.

Sitting up, I ran my hands through my hair and looked away from him. Love meant you loved everything about someone, right? It meant you were aroused by them, attracted to the very basic things about them, right? That's how I'd thought of it…on those extremely rare occasions that I _did_ think about love.

So…if I didn't love his smell… if, in fact, realizing what he smelled like made me dislike him…did that mean I loved him?

He stirred in the bed, making a soft noise as he turned. I glance at him and shivered in a mixture of fear and …and? The word _**snake**_ popped into my head again and I shook it to rid my mind of that image. No, I would not compare my…love… to a snake.

Hugging myself tightly, I stared down at the end of the bed. I closed my eyes and quietly wished that Ilia had just stayed home.

When Ganon awoke, I had just exited his bathroom, where I went to wash up and relieve myself. He lay in his bed, half propped up on his elbows and smiling at me. "Good morning, Link."

_I want her to leave today. I want to see Ilia leave as soon as possible._I drew myself up, and held my body still.

He puckered his lips a little, "She hasn't fully healed yet."

_I want her gone. _I silenced the tremors of my body. _Put her in a wagon if you must, but get her back to Hyrule as soon as possible. I don't want to see her._

He smiled a little, as if this pleased him. "Of course."

_And you promised not to hurt her._ I narrowed my eyes at him.

He just continued to smile, "Yes. And I will keep my promise."

_Thank you…I'm going to go visit with Epona now._ I ducked my head and turned away, I didn't want to see him looking at me like that…

"Alright. Have fun."

I hurried from the room and, once in the hallway, raced out of the room. The word _**snakesnakesnake**_ ran over and over in my mind like a poisonous or prophetic mantra and I needed to get it out of there.

Heading through the fortress, though, I took a wrong turn and found myself going down a flight of narrow stairs. They were dark stairs that turned sharply a few times, with a few torches along the wall here and there. I had the sense of 'dungeon rooms' come over me the instant I hit the bottom and looked at that tall, wide set of wooden doors. 

A tremor rippled through me, not of fear, though, but of forgotten excitement, like the kind I got when opening a large chest with the dungeon's 'sacred weapon' hidden in it. 

I walked up to the door and wrapped my hand around the thick handle. I braced my feet and _pushed_. The door slowly gave way and swung open to reveal darkness.

I ran back and grabbed up a torch from the hall to light the way as I walked into the darkness.

* * *

**Ganon**

He was missing, again.

I had just given Mother instructions to get the girl into a wagon and ready to leave in an hour and was going to the pasture to find him. But he was not there. 

I gripped the fence tightly and my eye narrowed. _Did he __**lie**__ to me? He's supposed to be incapable of lying!_ The wood groaned under my grip. _Where the devil is he then? _ I whirled away, ignoring the indentation on the wood as I rushed back into the fortress. He was missing twice in one day, but I would be the one to find him this time.

* * *

**Link**

The room, lined in boxes, crates and barrels, was long, wide, but not very high. There was probably half a foot above my head, so I knew that this room could not have been Ganon's. He would have had to crawl in here.

I giggled softly as the image of Ganon crawling through the dust came to my mind. Then I sneezed and laughed again. As I wandered in deeper, reading the labels (Oats, dried ham, rice, dried peas, etc) I came upon one that interested me the most.

It was a crate with a picture of a bee fading upon its top. Now, in my mind, bees have always meant honey, and honey meant everything. Pulling out my tunic from my belt, I scrubbed the dust off and grinned. There, clearly painted on, was the word _honey__wi_. I grinned and quickly set about pulling the lid off.

* * *

**Ganon**

I could not find him. He was not in the barn, his rooms, my rooms, the bath room, the cathedral, nor the kitchens, the dining rooms, the training room, the library… He was really missing.

And then it came to me. The dungeons. He _must_ be in the dungeons, and oh goddess, did I lock them last time I left? I hadn't. Did I get the blood cleaned up? Or the body? No, no, no I haven't yet!

My feet broke me into a run as I rushed to the stairwell, curving downwards, well lit and winding slightly. He reached the inconspicuous doors, finding them ajar and his heart thudding wildly in his ears. Hesitating he stared at the door. 

He couldn't open the door. If Link was inside, frozen in horror, he couldn't face that…

He inched around to look in the little gap, taking deep breaths to gather courage. A few infinite minutes later, he peeked through the gap and a sigh whistled from between his lips. Link was not there. 

Well, at least not where he could see him…

* * *

**Link**

The bottles of honey in the case were oddly shaped. Narrow at the top and yet still thin enough at the bottom for me to wrap a hand around. I pulled out a few, and held them up to my torch. They had no wrappers on them, but I could see the golden fluid inside them. However, it was more watery than normal and sloshed around the inside of the bottles.

I frowned and then set it down._ I suppose the only way to know if it is honey, is to taste it…of course that's right!_ I grinned and sat down. Holding the bottle between my knees, I worked at its cork top until it came off with a satisfying _POP_!

Then I sniffed it. _Smells like honey._

Then I ran my finger around the opening and pulled it out. It was coated in gold. _Looks like honey._

Then I licked my finger and grinned. _Tastes like honey too. Its just bottled funny, but it's alright!_

I tucked the torch into a convenient niche between two barrels. Lifting the bottle to my lips carefully I took a swig of the thin honey. And it was _marvelous_.

* * *

**Ganon**

I searched my dungeon rooms.

Nothing…

Where the hell is he?

* * *

**Sukrabella**

One of the girls came running up to me as I was watching over the girl's being bound to a gurney, which she didn't like at all, and pulled on my arm gently but insistently. She looked about fourteen, at the age where they worked in the kitchen.

"What is it child?" I asked in exasperation. Honestly, must they need me for everything? 

"Mother, I found Master Link in the storage room" She whispered.

"And? Did you get him out?" 

She blushed. "Mother… He…" she fiddled with her hands. I cast a glance to the girls and was assured they could handle the crazy girl alone. Then I took the child out into the hall to talk. 

"Speak up."

"He found a stash of honey wine, Mother, and he's drunk a whole half bottle. Um…that was when I last saw him anyway. I tried to get him to stop but he… he…patted my leg winked at me andgavemeakissonthecheekohpleasehelpIdon'twantLordGanontoknowbecauaseIdon't wanttoenduplikeYutella!" She closed her eyes as she spurted that last phrase.

I stared at her for a moment, unable to speak. Then I took a few calming breaths. Patting her on the head, I murmured, "Don't tell anyone and I'll keep your secret, it's not your fault anyway. Now, which storage was he in?"

"The North one, Mother," the girl sighed. "Thank you so much…" 

I pinched her cheek, "Consider yourself extremely lucky, you've just gotten what none of us will be able too. A honeybee's kiss. Now run off back to the kitchens."

I chuckled as I walked away, to fetch Link myself. 

She was right. He _was _drunk. A nearly empty bottle was in his hand, another full one cradled to his chest. He was crooning at it, as if it were a baby. I smiled at the sight, he'd make a loving mother at least… and then walked over and knelt beside him.

"Master Link, good afternoon, come on, you got to get up and get out of here. I'm sure Ganon is looking for you…" while I spoke I touched his arm. 

'_ello lady!_ He giggled _see my baby? I named her Lissa. It means honey! _He showed the bottle to me then kissed it. _Such a good baby!_

"Come on, Link, up on your feet." I put his arm around my shoulders and hauled him up. He leaned heavily against me, his eyes fluttering closed for a moment and then blinking awake. 

_Wh're we goin'?_

"I'm going to take you to your rooms so you can sleep off this wine, alright?" We walked slowly to the door. "I'll get someone to take care of the torch later."

_Lissa comin'?_

"Yes, Lissa can come too."

He grinned and laughed and nuzzled my shoulder. _Smell like…jasmin' ev'r'one smell like jasmi'…_His grin and laugh faded and he swung his head around. He looked down at Lissa, probably telling her something, while I got us up the stairs, one at a time. 

"Mother!" Glancing up I saw Ganon, the anxiety creasing his forehead. "What happened?" he looked from me to Link.

"He got lost. Found the storage room. Found the honey wine and drank a bottle. I swear, son, he's got some tolerance. That drink is sweeter than sugar." I shifted Link over as Ganon rushed down to pick him up.

"Mother, he eats honey, ah, like a dehydrated man drinks water. And just as messily." There was a faint smile on his lips as he spoke. 

"Yes, well," I coughed, "I wouldn't take that bottle away from him till he passes out. It's his baby Lissa."

Ganon's eyebrows rose. "Baby?"

I shrugged, "Apparently." Then I grinned. "He'll be a good mother, Ganon. I'm proud."

Ganon nodded. He pulled Link into his arms, cradling him like how Link cradled Lissa. "Well…Thank you mother. I'll go put him to bed then."

I watched as he left around the sharp corner and then turned back to clean up Link's mess. I smiled ruefully, ah to be young and loved like that again…it was good to be consort…

* * *

 **Um yes**, you all do know that Sukrabella was the consort before, right? when Ganon's daddy was in charge? good, good.

Yes... i do know (now) that technically honey wine is mead, but, whatever, its fiction, right?  
Review please, oh, and i'm planning on doing the in-chapter review replies in chapter twenty like i did in fifteen. Soo.. make brainsmarts when you write a review because the only real response to "good job! update soon!!" is "okay!" xD and i like talking to you my widdle reader-kins! Loves!


	20. Possession

**Right Disclaimer: **I don't own it, ya'll know that.

**its a short **chapter, i know, but it's just a progression chapter, to deal with Ilia. Next up is the few weeks until the ... Moon "Dance"...

xD

Warrior Link redeems himself a little in this chapter, so i thought...

**Chapter Twenty: Possession **

**Warrior Link**

He fell asleep in that man's arms, clutching the wine bottle and hiccupping slightly and so I rose from the depths and assumed control. If Ilia was to leave, then I was to bid her goodbye. I did not trust that man to actually send her out in a _wagon_.

However I faced the problem with how to get to that step and out of his arms.

Suddenly he stopped and turned. My eyes flickered open a sliver and I saw that he was looking at a middle aged woman. "My lord," she bowed slightly, "the wagon and the girl are prepared to leave."

He shifted me in his arms and was silent for a long time before saying, "Let me put Link in his room and then I'll come down."

I chose my moment then to stretch and yawn, letting the wine bottle slip from my fingers and smash loudly on the ground. The woman jumped back, arm flying up to cover her eyes, and let out a sharp surprised gasp. The man turned me away from the splatter and spat an _nasty_ curse under his breath. Then he glanced down at me and saw I was fully awake.

Or, to him anyway, Link was awake.

_I want to see Ilia._

"Link…" he still had that damn authority in his voice so I bared my teeth and, with the help of the wolf, snarled viciously.

_I want to see her right now! Take me to her!_ For good measure, and to look a little petulant, I lightly hit his shoulder with my fist.

"Okay, okay…" he grumbled, to the woman he said, "get this cleaned up." Then he stormed down the hallway and I had to swallow my smug smile by turning my face into his shoulder.

_I __**can**__ get away with everything!_ I looked back at the woman, she only looked relieved and a little irritated. _Probably glad the stupid man didn't beat her for what I did. Poor woman…_

"We're here." he muttered, stopping at the door and setting me on my feet. "Now what do you want?" The expression on his face was that of a child being found out, or prevented from, playing a 'fun' trick.

Turning away from him to the door I grimly smiled. I knew he was going to kill her. I opened the door and walked inside. I'd make sure that she'd leave safely…

* * *

**Ilia**

The door opened and I turned my head to look, praying that Link had come to save me. I had been strapped down like some wild animal and trapped on this gurney! When my beloved Hero walked through the door, admittedly he looked a little aloof and strange in the desert garb.

"Link!" I squealed in glee. Several of the demon-women turned, startled at my voice. "Link! Oh Link!"

He gave me a gentle smile and walked over, pressing a hand to my forehead. _How are your injuries, little one?_

"Fine, I'm _fine_, but they won't let me off the bed!" I squirmed to escape, to reach out and embrace my true love and Hero. "Please, Link, I want to hug you!"

He cast a glance back at the devil-man, who'd captured my beloved in a sick trick, and then leaned down again. His cool lips pressed against my cheeks, forehead, nose and finally against my lips gently. Then he pulled back and looked at me with warmth in his gem-blue eyes. _It's not safe for you here, little filly, you must go back to Hyrule and to your father. He is probably overwrought with worry for you. Will you go back home and stay there, for me?_

Breathless and speechless, I nodded. My cheeks were warm with a blush and my world was rose colored all around him, Link had kissed me!

I saw how much he wanted to be with me and how much he wished he could escape. He pulled back then and looked at the devil-man again.

With his eyes flashing and his lips pulled back in a malicious scowl, baring all of his nasty teeth, walked forward and put a hand on Link's shoulder. Then he pulled my beloved out of the room, or began to.

Link dug in his feet and resisted the devil long enough to turn to one of the demon-women, _get her home safely, I beg you. _And then he was pulled from the room and the door shut with a resounding slam.

"Link…" I felt tears in my eyes. "Oh Link my love…"

* * *

**Warrior Link**

Gripping my shoulder roughly, that man held me against the wall and brought his face within an inch of mine. "And _what_ where you doing in there?"

I refused to wince under the pressure of his hand, fiercely gritting my teeth against the pain as I glared back at him, _I was making sure she would be hospital towards your women and leave without an issue! Do you have a problem with that?_

"I have a problem with your method." Any closer and he would have been kissing, or biting, me. The man did not light up on his grip either. "What in the world possessed you to _kiss_ her!"

I kept my silence, my mind whirling. I had forgotten how much he desperately was attracted to Link, er me, and how enraged he could become.

_**Yes, quite an oversight there,**_ commented the wolf dryly in my mind.

I shoved him away and returned my thoughts to the man. _I hardly kissed her at all. And it wasn't even like __**that**__. It was a platonic press of lips, that's __**all**_I arched my neck and looked down my nose at him, putting all the condescension in my gaze that I could. _I can't believe I have to explain this to you. She and I are like family! Besides, you're hurting my arm. _

_**You play petulant lover quite well**_, the amused canine said in the back of my mind.

I successfully resisted the shudder that accompanied that remark.

The man took a deep breath and closed his eyes, pulling his head back and relaxing his grip. "Yes. Right. Of course." He ran a hand through his hair and released me. "I should have realized, I'm sorry my love."

He planted a kiss on the top of my head. I buried the disgusted flinch and sighed, as if I were forgiving him. I patted his cheek and looked up into his boorish face. _I want to watch her leave from the battlements. Please come with me?_

"Certainly." He swept me back into his arms acting the gentleman now that his anger was deflected from me. "I shall take you there myself."

I gingerly put an arm on his monster of a limb, because that's what a lover would do, and swore to myself that I'd scrub all his filthy germs off of me later. That man carried me into the afternoon and strode quickly to the stairs to the wall. I glanced over my shoulder to see the women carrying Ilia on her stretcher to the small wagon.

She was asleep, though, and did not see me.

At the top of the wall, the man set me down to sit on the higher stone, so my head was level to his chin. He gently stroked my hair, like I was a doll made of the most fragile porcelain, and gave me a pathetic smile. "Is this good enough for you?"

I did my best not to scorn him with a snort and nodded curtly, looking out over the landscape.

The sky was a crystalline blue, clear and bright as far as I could see, which was probably several tens of miles from up here, perhaps even a hundred. The ground, however, was different colors varying from light sands in the west and the ruddy dark sienna of the cliffs far on the horizon. The occasional tree stood out, muddy brown and stick thin out in the desert. Down across the eastern hills was a dust cloud, probably a traveling caravan or mobile tribe of some such.

It was so different from my home, all greens, blues and grays, that homesickness lodged in my throat like crystallized honey. I blinked quickly, forbidding tears to come and show further weakness to this insane man. A side gate opened below and I glanced down.

The wagon rolled out, headed by two horses and escorted by two riders. I watched as they rode out, kicking up a little cloud of dust as they headed east. The man put his hand on my leg as I twisted around to watch.

The farther I twisted and leaned over the edge, the tighter his grip became. Oh please, as if I would really let myself fall from this height. I turned back to pull his hand from my leg but he drew my body flush with his, holding my face in one hand and my arse in the other.

"You need to watch yourself on the ledge, my love, if you fell I would have to fall with you." He kissed me on the forehead. I resisted scrubbing the spot clean with my hand the moment he pulled away.

I turned to the land again, spotting the white of the wagon top and sighed a little. At least she would be safe in Hyrule.

The man forced my face back to him, earnestly looking at me, "Shall we go down now?" A question in the way the words sounded, but a demand if I ever heard one. I nodded slightly and he picked me back up and carried me down.

_**You're wearing down the body, warrior, **_the wolf murmured in my mind sleepily. _**You need to back off and let the body work through all that alcohol Link consumed earlier. **_

I sighed and closed my eyes, ducking my head down and, regrettably, leaning against the man's wall of a chest. In a matter of moments I had fallen into blackness and returned the possession to the slumbering Link.

**Yes yes**, that is really Ilia in the wagon. No Ganon didn't switch her out. Its important that she gets to Hyrule. VERY important plot coming up after the Moon Dance. we may be seeing Zelda soon, (in all her princessness)

Anyway, Reviews are lovely, so much so that here are my replies! xD

**Dario Argento Syndrome**: (possibly one of the longest names i've seen on here, but cool nonetheless)

Thank you very much! i work hard to keep the OCs consistant, realistic and yet not super super main characters XD

**JtheChosen1**:

haha, i couldn't resist making honey his complete temptation and get him drunk agian. besides, we had to see Warrior Link in all his transformed brain thinks.

**LeneeTheSunsetAngel**: (lol, you have a long name too!)

link is pretty adorable altogether, don'tcha think? Thanks for noticing my symbolism, sometimes i worry if people are catching my hidden things.

(BrightenBrightenBrighten!)

Ah well, i have the names, but, sadly, Lissa isn't one of them (that's why he calls the bottle Lissa, because I wanted the name in, but not as his kid)

**One-Eyed Monster**: (everytime i read your name i think of the flying purple people eater)

Ah, i'd only leave you guys hanging on a delicous cliffhanger, like... well... you'll see. xD Sorry for my errors. i like to put up a chapter right after i'm done with it and that doesn't bode to too much time going over it... so this is like raw material here. xD... and i don't beta it either... i like to get it up as fast as i can, because i'm very very slow (as proof with everything else i've ever posted up that wasn't a oneshot)

Lets just say that the wolf is wise and cool Warrior's heels a little with his words, as is evident in this chapter. Priority for him is now being accepted, not to get away from Ganon.

Ah yes... the wolf is sneaking into his mind now that he communicates more readily with the warrior (and by he i pretty much mean normal Link _and_ the wolf) the warrior is kind of a bridge between courage and wisdom, er... Link and the Wolf.

I'm also setting up link a little, with those thoughts of his, you'll see how it ends!

isn't Sukrabella the coolest? i love her so much! i'm glad i made her up xD. (as far as we know, Link floated down the river like that cradle had for strange pregnant woman back in the first part of TP)

**Rose:**

No brainsmarts? xD thats okay, i don't really mind. i just like the reviews!

**PhantomBoo**:

hahahaha, alcoholic Link... xD

(isn't learning something sometimes cool?)

* * *

Anyway... XD next one up as soon as i'm done with it! things seem to be picking up a bit! woot!


	21. Deception and Plans

**DISCLAIMER: **yeah, I don't own them, ya'll know that...

* * *

**Chapter Twenty One: Deception and Plans**

**Ganon**

I gave a perfunctory knock on the door and then walked in. My eyes immediately went to the bed, but it was empty. My gaze traveled past the window to the chairs and fireplace. Nothing.

"Link?"

A _clunk_ came from the bed. I glanced down and saw two pale feet sticking out from the shadows under the bed. Recognizing them instantly, I crossed the room to crouch beside him.

"Link, what are you doing under there?"

His feet slipped into the darkness. I reached in to grab them, but my fingers touched shoulders instead.

Suddenly his head appeared from the shadow. His blue eyes, clouded in upset and his cute little mouth was puckered in unhappiness. _I cannot find my tall bottle of honey!_

For a moment I just stared at him. _How could he not remember what he had done yesterday?_ Patiently I reminded him, "You dropped it on the ground yesterday. It shattered all over the floor."

He pouted. _I don't remember that…_

"You were drunk. It's understandable that you don't remember. Now come out from under there," I stood.

He nodded and pulled himself out, brushing off the dust from his light tunic and then sneezed. I cupped his face in my hand, turning it towards me. He blinked his clear eyes and stared at me.

I smiled. This was to be the 'mother' of my child. He was the one to carry on my bloodline and produce my heir, or heirs, in only a few short months. For a moment I was lost in that perfect picture of the future.

A son I could teach tactical warfare to, teach to hunt and to barter. A son I could teach to rule in my stead with a fist of iron and a mind of steel. A son I could be proud of, with strength and skill and courage and power. A true hunter with passion to fire him to chase down every dream and goal I would instill in him.

Or I could get a daughter as beautiful and slight and lithe as a serpent. To dance and to sing and to wear the soft clothing of royalty and dine the sweet foods her 'mother' loves. She would be a sweet tempered, angelic woman with her 'mother's' beautiful coloration and expressive face. A girl child that could ride and tame a horse, and fight, but only when necessary, and preferred song and dance to bloodshed.

Because a bonding between two such as Link and I could only result in perfect children.

I leaned down and kissed his forehead, closing my eyes and breathing in his scent. It was light and sweet and faintly smelled of horse and hay.

His slim fingers touched my hand on his face and I looked back into his eyes.

_What are you thinking of? _

I merely chuckled. "Would you like to go for a walk with me? I have time," his eyes lit up and he nodded happily.

"We can go down to see the horses, perhaps take a ride?"

This excited him even more, he grinned. _I'll put on my boots._ Then he pulled away and dove for his boots at the end of the table.

A curious sight caught my eye. A jagged thing poking out from his saddlebags that sat on the floor where a servant of mine had put them. I walked over and reached down, touching the pale thing. It was bone. Pulling it out, I ran a finger down the ridge and the curve. It was a tooth.

A large tooth, nearly as long as my hand from heel to tip of my middle finger, an amazing length for any creature, and it was attached through a hole in the base to a tempered snake skin band.

I felt Link staring at me. His blue eyes practically a separate entity. I turned, tooth in hand, and asked, "What is this? Where is it from?"

He got to his feet, a sweet look on his face as he tenderly took the bone from me and stroked it. He walked to the bed and sat down on it, staring at it with shining eyes.

When he looked up at me, I saw the tears falling down his cheeks but was dumbfounded by his brilliant smile.

_This was a farewell gift from Prince Ralis of the Zoras. It was a treasure to him for it is the tooth from the last sea beast his father ever killed. He gave it to me in the days before I left Hyrule._ He smiled sweetly at the tooth and kissed it.

Fire burned in my belly and I had to fight down the hatred and jealousy that I suddenly felt so I did not strike out at him. He should have no thoughts in his mind for Hyrule or any prince, but thoughts only for me, for his soul-linked husband.

These things that he had from Hyrule must be removed from his presence…

He set the tooth aside on the bed and then got to his feet, quickly wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. _I'm ready to go now._

I gave him a smile and held out my hand to him, even as my anger formed a burning coal in my stomach and the thoughts formed a cold plan in my mind. He took it and I held his hand tightly. Together we left the room.

--

On the way to the corral, Link's nose picked up the scent of a berry pie cooling on a sill. He tugged on my sleeve. _What is that? Pie?_

I nodded to him, smiling, "Why don't you go get one and see?"

He grinned and rushed off towards the kitchen. As he did so, I pulled aside one of the older women, one about Mother's age, with a wave of my hand.

She bowed to me and then asked, "Yes my lord? What do you wish?"

"There are some things in Link's room that I need taken care of. First, the saddlebags, everything that can remind him of his home needs to be removed. All the souvenirs and trinkets; leave his clothing and something that looks harmless. Second, on his bed there is a sea monster tooth on a leather chord. I need that taken as well. Third, these things will be taken down to my dungeon room, left on the table and the door with be shut and locked when you go. Do you understand?"

She nodded, "Aye."

"Good. Get it done. Now."

She nodded again and walked off.

The moment she did, I caught the eye of a younger woman and waved her over. She smiled as she bowed and then stood with her hands behind her back. "Yes my lord? What is your wish?"

"Yesterday, in the North storage, Link found a crate of honey wine. I want two bottles placed upon the chest at the end of his desk and a third on his nightstand. There is a room next to his with jars of honey in it. One bottle is to be placed on the table. The rest are to be made available to him at any moment he so wishes."

"Yes sire."

"Good, do so immediately."

"Yes sire," she grinned, bowed and dashed off.

I looked up and Link was hurrying towards me, a smudge of red berry on his cheek. He stopped before me, glancing after the young woman. _What was that?_ Curiosity rippled in his eyes.

I smiled at him and put a hand on his shoulder, bringing him closer to me. "I'm arranging another surprise for you when you return to your room."

_Oh! What is it?_

I laughed. "It's a surprise. That's what it is. First we'll go for a ride, though. There is an oasis nearby that I want to take you to."

_An oasis?_

I leaned in and kissed his cheek, licking off the pie filling and then winking at him. "A lovely oasis," he blushed and gave a timid smile.

"Come, my love, let's go," I turned him about with a touch and steered him towards the corral.

As easy to deceive as ever, Link smiled and followed along with my guidance.

* * *

**Zelda**

I stroked the back of my white hawk, blanched by my falconer especially for me, and stared out the window. It had been a while since Ilia left. Many days since I'd given her my signature and she fled.

I sighed and cast out my hawk, SnowTrill, and watch as she swooped down through the air and rose up. I had thought I could endure anything, but that obsessed girl was too much to suffer. Her thoughts were close to my own that it was especially difficult to ignore her.

I knew that Link was in danger. I knew he was hurting… I could feel it in my heart. A stabbing pain, not unlike betrayal, that made tears form in my eyes. I covered my face. Giving her passage through the desert was close to, but not quite, breaking the contract. Ganondorf could argue otherwise but…

I had only given Ilia a safe guard, not a mission. There was no official documentation that said I had wanted her to find a way to rescue Link. I pulled my hands away and placed them on the stone sill. As soon as Ilia returned I could take what I learned from her, if she doesn't bring Link home with her, and begin my plan.

I looked out for SnowTrill, and gave a little smile. _As the fastest and farthest flying bird in all of Hyrule, soon you will do my bidding, little SnowTrill._

* * *

**Link**

With Epona and Ganon's large, dark stallion, Geode by name, resting by the drinking pool, Ganon led me by hand to the larger, lower, deeper pool. He pushed aside a bush and revealed it to me with a flourish. "This is it, Link. The closest oasis to my Fortress, it also lasts for about nine months in a year, depending on how much rain we get."

I walked towards it. The pool, though not very wide, was dark, showing how deep it was. Several palm trees hung over it, with wide leaves shadowing the water from the sun. Where the sun did hit the water, it glittered and danced like shimmering fire.

Behind me I heard a rustle and glanced over my shoulder. Ganon had pulled his shirt off and was untying his sash. I blushed and looked away. He murmured, "You shouldn't wear clothing into the water, Link, it is best when you're naked."

He touched my shoulder and leaned down. I could feel his breath against my skin, the under-scent of blood filling my nostrils. My stomach flipped as he walked past me and I looked away.

There was a splash before I dared to look again. He stood in the water, facing me with his arms out to the side and the pool up the middle of his chest. He smiled. "Come on, love."

_Turn around. Don't look!_ I waved my hand at him and he laughed, but turned around. I peeled off my clothing quickly and tossed them onto a bush. Then I jumped into the water behind him. I sunk to the bottom, looking through the blue world with wide eyes. I saw his dark shape before me, watched as he turned around.

With a blush I rose out of the water, pushing off the bottom and treading water to keep my head above water. I shook water from my hair and looked up at him with a smile.

He cupped my chin and drew me closer in the water. His fingers were warm and I shivered against the chill of the water. "See? It's better this way."

He kissed my cheeks and then my mouth, only touching me with his lips and the two fingers and thumb that held my face. My eyes fluttered closed and my mouth opened as he continued to kiss. He drew me closer, pulling with his fingers and using his other hand flat against my back. My arms felt heavy as I slung them over his shoulders and linked them behind his neck.

But even as the moment grew more intimate, with his body heat closer and closer, I felt my stomach clench under the cold fingers of instinctual fear. My skin rippled in a mixture of adrenaline and anxiety as pressed my chest to his.

His hand was unbearably hot on my back, fingers spread wide and firmly holding me. His flesh hot as burning coals or the stare of the sun, hurts and I can't help but wince. Ganon pulled back from my lips, his blood smelling breath brushing against my face.

"Something wrong?" he whispered, lips brushing my ear.

I shook my head, looking away.

He turned my face back with a touch of his fingers along my cheekbone, "Link…what is it?"

I stared into his eyes, seeing molten gold and pride in them. I bit my lip, searching his eyes for any degree of softness, or love, like the warmth I saw in Epona's eyes. But his eyes…all they held was fire. Burning and consuming everything he saw…even me.

I closed my eyes and put my ear to his chest. Tears wanted to roll down my cheeks but I forced them back. There was no reason to cry, we were in love, our souls bonded, I loved this man and I knew he would not harm me for he loved me too.

I listened to his heart beat and clung to him, I was safe with him…

* * *

**Ganon**

I could not help but feel as though I'd just narrowly escaped something that could have destroyed my plans entirely. I held Link securely and kissed the top of his head. I admired his golden hair, still bright and shimmering, even when completely soaked.

He turned his head up to me, opening his eyes and staring at me again. They're wide and clear like the sky and I could see nothing but love and trust there. Not even the vaguest shadows of doubt or distrust. I knew then that he trusted me completely, and that was wonderful. "I love you…"

_I love you too, _Link kissed my cheek gently.

I couldn't help but smile. Everything was perfect…

**TBC**

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Yeah, so... ... I got my 200th review... and i was so happy, i decided to post this up. sorry it took forever. i got stuck in the water, wanting to write a cute scene and came up with that instead... i dunno...

Read and review!

(this chapter dedicated to NOT one-eyed Monster and my 200th review and to ALLLLLL others who gave support! and love!)


	22. Invitations

**Disclaimer:** No, I don't own zelda-things, this is all in entertainments and funs, no more no lessish.

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Chapter Twenty Two: Invitations

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**Ganon**

Clad only in my dark pants, I watched Link swim around and around in the pool with his russet mare, Epona. I chewed on the end of a reed, lying back on my elbows and enjoying myself as my most beautiful and valuable property enjoyed the cool, dark waters.

A high pitched cry sounded from above , and I looked up to see a hawk circling around in the sky. With an exasperated sigh I got to my feet. Link's beast snorted and tossed her head as he treaded water, looking up to me with a questioning gaze in those blue eyes.

"I'll deal with it. It's probably just a messenger," Waving my hand at the blond as I turned away from him.

Walking up to higher ground, I raised my arm to the bird and it swooped low. The creature was larger than any of my own, with a wickedly curved beak and fierce black eyes. Its long feathers were dark brown, bleached spots that forming the symbol of Averyn; the shape of a rupee surrounded by a circle. I narrowed my eyes at the bird, whose intrusion was highly unappreciated.

"Speak."

The obsidian beak opened and out came Averyn's youthful tenor.

"I sure hope that this message finds you in a pleasant mood, my friend, for it would depress me if you were to reject my offer on the grounds that you're having a bad day."

Snarling I retorted, "What would you offer me that I do not have already, you child?" and shook my arm to frazzle the hawk.

The bird squawked and flapped its wings to keep its balance. To stay upon my arm it dug its talons into my arm. I did not cry out from such frivolous pain. Settling back down, it glared at me and opened its beak once more.

"Now, now, Ganondorf, don't upset my little friend here!" Averyn laughed, "All I'm doing is inviting you to the opening of my coliseum, my own personal battle arena. I would be _honored_ if the mighty Lord Ganondorf of the West Desert Province would attend the grand opening. I know how much you love a right and bloody slaughter."

The offer surprised me, I should have known if anyone at all were building a coliseum, let alone Averyn. Although I suppose my attentions to Link had been the singular thought upon my mind lately. I let out a chuckle and wry smile tugged on the corner of my lips. "And what day will this open house be?"

"Why, in four days of course, just enough time for my favorite Evil Mage Lord to come to the event." The bird turned its head to the side in a childish manner, just as Averyn would. "Will you attend?"

"And how long will it go on?" I inquired.

"Two days at least. Will you attend?"

"That would be…entertaining, I suppose. I will come." I replied lazily.

"Fantastic. I look forward to your arrival with great pleasure, milord." The hawk screeched shrilly and flapped its large wings once more. This time I threw my arm up, flinging it into the air. Taking off, it flew high into the blue sky. _To get to Averyn's fortress in time…I would have to leave now._ I looked down on the pool where Link and his horse were. Laughing, he swam a circle around her, splashing her as he did so.

"Still such a child, aren't you my love?" I murmured, then turning away. He would be fine alone here if I went back to the fortress, and once there I could send someone back to fetch him.

Walking down to where my own horse waited, I swung up onto its strong back and turned him out of the oasis. Giving it a kick with my heel, I headed back home through the sandy dunes, just to swing by long enough to send someone to fetch my eastern mare and his beast.

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**Sukrabella**

My son returned through the side gate, his black stallion sweating and foaming enough to concern me, and skidded to a stop. Swinging off Geode's he called out, "I need a fresh horse! Now!"

As women rushed to obey, I came forward, grabbing Geode's bridle. I soothed the beast with strokes until one of the sisters took him from me. Then I turned my full attention to Ganon, "Son, where is Master Link? Has something happened? Is he missing?" I was panicked. _Who wouldn't be, at the possibility of the little Hylian boy, who everyone had come to love, being in danger?_

"No," he snapped irritably. I swallwed my smile of relief, it was clear that something else bothered him. "Pack the saddle bags with enough of my things for several days, also put in my best cloak and vest." More women ran to obey these new commands.

"Then what _is_ the rush?" I demanded a little more sharply.

He turned to look at me, his gaze trying to pierce me, but it was in vain. The look was one I had perfected before he was an infant in my arms. Stubbornly, he scowled at my insistence and didn't answer.

"Well?" I pressed, leaning in towards him. "What has you in such a tizzy?"

"That fool Averyn has invited me to the grand opening of his coliseum. But if I am to get there at any reasonable time, I must depart immediately," he answered in a huff, attempting to keep his pride.

I stifled another grin at his confession. My son, always drawn to those gory battles. A well raised warrior child, as any desert boy should be. However, there were more pressing things to deal with than my son's upbringing and the pride I had in him because of it.

"And Link? You daren't bring him. He would be traumatized."

He laughed in scorn, throwing back his head and startling some of the more skittish girls. "Mother, you paint me as a fool such as Averyn! I left him at peace at the oasis. He'll need someone to go fetch him, sooner rather than later, but he will be fine. His little red beast is there watching over him. She'd protect him with her life." He gave a little smile, and had the same look he had when he'd told me of his plan to capture Link.

"Of course," I replied. It was better than bringing him to a coliseum match. "I'll have him brought home soon. But Ganon, what of the Dance?"

"I will meet you at the plateau. The trip from Averyn's is closer than from here." He sobered his expression and his tone, his eyes as hard as his heart. "I entrust his care to you, mother," A bay steed was brought to him by a timid girl, packed and ready for travel.

"I'll tend him as I tended you, my son." He swung up onto the mount as I spoke. Giving me a long stare, he reared his horse and galloped off, stirring dust into the air and into my face. I withstood it, standing rigid. My boy, as proud as I was of him, _was_ as much a fool as that Averyn child. This coliseum would add unnecessary stress to our plans. Once he'd departed the fort, I sighed and turned to the woman beside me, Gabriella.

"I'll need a horse in a bit, to go get Link."

She grunted, folding her arms and scowling after the settling dust cloud Ganon produced.

I chuckled, "Speak your mind my friend."

"Your boy is spoilt."

"He is, isn't he?" I laughed, shaking my head. "A spoiled child."

"Should've whipped him more as a boy. You coddled him 'cause of those damn Poes. Should've let them terrify him a little more while he got older. Maybe it would've kept him in line," Gabriella continued to mutter.

I shook my head, turning away. "The tri-force of power would never let him be kept back at all. It fueled his ego more than my soft mothering could. His goddess is Din and she breathes pride, arrogance, and power into him like she breathes the sun into life." Striding away, shoulders slumped footsteps heavy, I trudged through the red desert dust. I could not help the sense of doom that followed my son like the intricately stitched cloak he adored.

In silence, Gabriella followed after my form in the heated sun's gaze.

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**Link**

I lay in the warm shade of a bush, drawing circles in the sand with my fingers. The air, though hot and dry, was pleasant to me as I was still wet from the oasis. Epona lay before me, blinking slowly as she puffed air through her nostrils.

She turned her head towards me, leaving a curved ripple in the sand, _**I want to talk to you, Link.**_

I looked up at her, one eye closed and one eye open, my hand stopped. _Hmm?_

_**His intentions worry me…Ganondorf's do. That bizarre festival, the food, the chants, the potions, the ring… I feel that he is not being honest with you.**_

_Epona,_ I pushed myself up by tucking my arms under my chest. Sand, stuck to my skin gritted against my body, _He has been truthful to me as I have been with him._

She shook her head with a lusty sigh.

_I know you may not trust him Epona, but I do. I feel no shame in living with him, or being with him, as a protected lover. I trust him wholly._

_**I am not ashamed of your relationship with him, what makes you happy makes me happy. But link are you not running away from your own fears, running away from yourself? Especially with the Poes…**_

I looked away from her; _I won't call on the wolf. You know all it wants is bloodshed, to kill and feast. It's a predator, _I glared down at the sand, _it'd kill anything, it'd kill you if it could! Besides, I don't need it to be protected against the Poes, I have that necklace!_

Epona stood up, shook sand from her body and tossed me a scornful look. She walked over to my pile of clothes and nosed through it. Lifting her head she held the blue necklace between her teeth. Her nostrils flared, _**You mean this? You don't even know what the runes on it say! **_

_It's protection from the Desert Goddess Kym, I had a dream of it Epona. She gives me protection in the desert here. _I stood and held out my hand, _give me the necklace. I should put it back on._

She snorted and tossed her head and replied, _**I will not let you wear this thing until you understand! Ganondorf is a bastard of a man, an evil wizard with his own agenda and plans. You are not a man to him, you are toy!**_

_Shut up!_ I felt the hot pressure of tears behind my eyes, _Shut up. Shut up. Shut up! You haven't seen him like have. You don't know him like I do! _My hand slapped against my chest.

_**There is nothing inside that monstrous hide that I **_want_**to know!**_ She dug at the soft sand with her fore hoof and her nostrils flared.

_You can't say that about him Epona! I love him! He protects me!_

_**He left you here alone, naked, in the middle of the desert Link! What love, what protection is that!**_

I turned away, gritting my teeth.

She snorted again and I glanced over at her, _**It seems you don't need me, since he is so obviously here to protect you.**_ Her angry words spat venom and I looked away, unable to meet her gaze. There was the sound of shifting sand as she turned away. I stood still as she walked off, unable to move my body.

By the time I could, she had vanished outside of the vegetation of the oasis. I hurried and pulled on my clothes and pushed through the little foliage. Epona thundered across the dunes, tossing sand and grit into the air as she ran, her neck stretched out and her coat vibrant scarlet in the sun. The sapphire blue of the necklace in her mouth was darkened to black from this distance. I stood by the tree, my face slack and watched helplessly.

Suddenly I heard familiar ethereal laughter and my hand reached up to touch the hollow of my throat. I had gone days without taking off that necklace and now my neck felt naked with its absence. I turned away from the open desert, my back to the rough bark of the tree, my breath coming quickly as I heard more laughter. They were coming to take my sanity, my soul and my breath. My knees weakened and I sank to the ground.

I squeezed my eyes shut and covered my ears, but that did nothing for the hot tears that streamed from my eyes. _How could Epona abandon me like that? Leaving me defenseless and vulnerable to the Poes? How could she so readily and mercilessly leave me to my doom?_ I trembled so violently the palms of the trees rattled above my head.

_**Stop your whining!**_ A deep voice growled, _**If you trusted me, you would fear nothing!**_ _**Do not cower like a newborn pup. To your feet. Stand!**_

My legs were compelled to straighten at the command. The Poe bobbed and weaved in the air towards me, only the haunting lantern visible.

_**See how fearless it is? It attacks you in daylight, when you are strong and it is weak. Give me allowance and I will put the abomination to rest.**_

I shuddered against the voice, shaking my head, _Stop, no! I hate you!_

_**Do you want to die? **_The wolf growled in my mind. I felt his disgust. _**Do you wish to surrender your soul to this pathetic spirit? Such a thing would shame your lover! **_

_What?_

_**Think of your Mage Lord lover. Were you to succumb to this silly Poe he would be grateful you did, for no weak man could suit him!**_ The wolf snarled.

_I…But he…_

_**Whether he loves you or not, this does not matter. Are you strong enough to be with him?**_

_I…_

_**Are you strong enough, Link, are you strong enough to love a Mage Lord!**_

_Yes! I am!_

_**Good.**_ In the next instant, I fell forward and my world darkened.

* * *

**The Wolf**

Shifting the world to view in my senses, I saw clearly the eerie blue of the three approaching Poes. At the sight of me, bristling and baring my teeth; at the sound of my warning growl, they hesitated. Their laughter quieted.

One floated half a foot closer, _wolfman wolfman give us the wretch the wretched boy! Why protect the thing that fails its destiny why protect the weakest weakest_

I grinned at the thing.

Its image shuddered and faded in and out. Then it's twisted mouth opened wide and it screamed out, _give up the murderer give up the wretched the perverted the diseased give up the blood letter the heart stabber! _It shook its scythe in its rage. _Blood for blood cry for cry soul for soul give him give him give him over!_

I hunched down a little, tensing my muscles and leapt. My mouth latched onto its heart-soul and I tore furiously at it. It screamed and fell back as I dropped off. The other two raced forward with scythes upraised. I ran past them and sailed through the air again, gripping the first in my maw and tearing at it.

Falling to the ground, it gasped pitifully and the blackness of its miserable soul rose from its corpse. I grabbed it and tore it apart, feeling in that moment the palpitation of its life through every fiber of my being. As it vanished, I turned to face the other two Poes.

Warily they looked at me but before they could move, a shining light enveloped them. I turned away; squeezing my eyes shut, but still saw spots behind my eyelids. A few seconds later, back in my normal vision, I opened my eyes and looked up. In the place of the two Poes sat Sukrabella upon a sandy brown mare. The horse tossed its head and snorted at me.

Sukrabella, left hand tight around the reigns with her other holding a gemstone close to her chest, stared at me in surprised.

I blinked and stood silently as the horse contentedly plotted up to me and touched my nose. It whinnied softly, _Master Link._

I wagged my tail slightly. Sukrabella blinked and then relaxed. "I had no idea that you could take this form, Master Link. Ganon never mentioned this."

I cocked my head to the side.

"Come, shall we return home now?"

I gave a careful glance to the foliage where Epona had disappeared. Then I nodded and trotted out a different way, towards the Fortress. Sukrabella followed on her mount.

TBC

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Neh, sorry it took so long to put up T__T… I meant to have it up at Christmas... but...yeah...

Is good though, yes? Hee hee…


	23. Illness

**Disclaimer: **Yeah no, I don't own Zelda.

Yes, it has been forever since an update.

NO, this is NOT the last time I'm updating this weekend!!! hee hee You'll love me, I know!

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**Chapter Twenty Three: Illness**

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**Sukrabella**

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Master Link was capable of taking the form of a wolf.

I sat upon my steed, thinking about this while the beast-no Link- trotted beside me across the sand. Never had my son mentioned anything about Link becoming a wolf. Perhaps it had not crossed his mind, but I doubted that. He would have made us make provisions for the wolf, special meat dishes to be ready at a moments notice, doors made wolf friendly, or a chewing bone…or whatever a wolf could want.

Yet no such accommodations had been made. This implied that Ganon did not know of the wolf.

And so I had a dilemma. Do I tell Ganondorf, or do I …choose silence? And if I were to tell him, would I send a messenger bird now…or wait until the Dance? I worried my lip while I thought.

While I pondered, we reached the side door opening and it swung open silently. The sun was low over the land by now, giving the world a rich orange-red color. The walls of the fortress loomed over us as we entered, passing from the sun's constant warmth into the darkened shadows the walls created inside.

Several women stood around in hushed, awed silence, staring down at the wolf-at Link. I dismounted quickly and Era, my strange but gifted child, came forward with a rustle of her silken robes. Her golden eyes flicker from the wolf to me and then half closed as she tilted her head to the side.

She was Listening to the Goddess. Something she did more and more often these days.

"I have heard your prayer, Matron Priestess, or rather your worried thoughts." She edged closer to me, I could faintly see the sheer image of Goddess Kym over my daughter. "You will keep his second form close to you, as a sacred secret, and instruct the others to follow your example. This is my commandment to you."

I nodded numbly, trembling at the force of her will and her magic.

She eased back, and my daughter returned, with a solemn face. "Mother, welcome home."

I smiled gently and touched her arm, "Thank you. Now, please –" but I stopped as I turned to look towards Link.

He was shifting back into his human form; a swirling cloud of grey and black appeared as he stood on two legs. He was smiling peacefully, generally looking around him. _I trusted._ And then he collapsed.

Three leaping steps brought me over to his body, shouting commands while I did, "Izalle, my horse! Buella, Shirella, help me carry him to his room. Fiella, go with Kirusella and bring a bucket of water and some cloth. Allella, get Desi and bring her up to his room."

Era knelt at my side, put her hand on Link's forehead and scowled, "He's cold. He's very, very cold."

I touched him as well, it did not burn, but after a few moments, my hand was numb. "Fiella, make sure that water is warm!" I added as Buella appeared with a blanket from the stables, by the smell of it, to carry him in. I cursed under my breath as I saw his breath was a small cloud of mist.

"Damn it Link, what is wrong with you?"

……………..

Only three of us stood in the room beside Desi and Link. There was I, at the foot of the bed, Era who sat on Link's left side, and Avella, standing to the side to assist Desi.

Link lay under several blankets. He was pale, shivering, and his breath came out in puffs of frost air. Desi sat on his right side, staring at him while her hands absently stroked the inside of a bowl. Her dark eyes were wide as she stared, and I watched anxiously.

Desi turned to Avella, "Give me the bottle." An old hand pointed to the wine on the nightstand. Avella handed it to her uncertainly. Desi popped it open. The sweet smell of honey wine blossomed into the air.

"You're going to give him wine?" I asked suddenly.

"What he has is a chill to the soul." Desi's voice was calm, "There is a separation of body and mind. All we can do is keep the body warm so it is welcome to return to. Avella, raise him."

Avella slid onto the bed and held Link up, leaning him against her chest. Desi opened his mouth with a wrinkled hand and tipped the bottle's opening into his mouth.

Desi then turned and pressed the bottle to my hands, "Keep his body warm or the little sweet cake will be nothing, nothing!" Then she leaned forward, her eyes wild again, "Beware the demons with death in their hands! What protection can this naked one have?" Then she hobbled out of the room, her slim apprentice Avella following behind with the unused cloths.

I turned to Era and spoke quietly, "Instruct the others to pray, I will stay with him for now. Send me a replacement in a while, yes?"

"Yes." Era stood, bared and then left. As the door shut, I sat behind Link, cradling his cold body against my own with the blanket pulled up to his chin. I held the bottle in one hand and stroked his soft blonde hair. I already knew Poes could come, from before, but Desi's words only reminded me.

"When you wake, we'll have to talk about where you're necklace is…" I murmured and then settled back against the head board to wait hopefully he would return soon.

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yeah no, this was not beta'd so what... do you want four chapters this weekend or not? neh? that's what I thought.

Review please!! please?? I love you? *cries*


	24. The Darkest Depths and An Observation

**Disclaimer: **Yeah yeah, I don't own zelda... I know I know...

Alright, this one is terribly short, but what the heck, two more chapters at least, for tonight! Buzz right through this and review my precious readers?

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Chapter Twenty Four: The Darkest Depths and An Observation

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**Link**

I trusted.

I had always known where he was, where the both were, deep inside my mind. Yet I had never willingly entered the darkness there.

But now…

I had trusted, and my trust was wholly returned. Nothing could express my gratitude, but I had to find the words and I had to thank him myself.

This weak connection between us was only the first to form a bridge over the chasm of our differences. I had thrown the first cable across the depths and he had returned the gesture. Now I had to believe in the strength of the symbol.

And I had to trust again.

Out over the gaping canyon I sent my trust like a beam of iron. I could not see it land, but heard the crunch of metal onto stone. Holding the chords loosely in either hand I stepped out onto the narrow support.

At first the steps were easy to take, not even the empty blackness below my feet troubled me. There was no sound but the shift of my booted feet over the metal. I walked quickly, sliding my open palm against the cables. The farther I went out, however, the deeper the darkness became.

One glance over my shoulder revealed that the land I'd come from had vanished into darkness.

And then the winds began.

I braced myself, gripping the chords tightly as I rocked in the wind, my eyes closed tightly against the gusts. The whole almost delicate, thinly made structure swayed with the great gusts. Slowly I continued, my eyes closed against the wind and sliding my hands forward along the line.

I just hoped the wind would be all…

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**Man**

Gerudo thieves were rare this far east. They tended to keep away from the lands where their ancestors were driven from. So when four of them walked into the tavern with a scrawny, bandaged and cloaked wench of a girl, I knew, as did everyone else in the room, that they travelled here on a mission from their devil of a master.

The four women sat around the girl, ordering some food and keeping silently to their own thoughts. One, with short, curly red-brown hair, sparkling obsidian eyes and creamy honey brown skin slowly and carefully spooned food into the short one's mouth. I could barely see from my vantage point, that the short one had blue, frightened eyes and light brown hair peeking out from under the hood.

They guarded an Eastern girl.

For a moment I stared at her, was she the mare that the Mage Lord had purchased, allegedly, directly from the Eastern Princess of Light? I had always believed his preferences leaned towards those of his own sex.

The only way to be sure, then, was to find out which way they were travelling.

I sipped my wine, considering whether or not I had the time or curiosity to pursue the truth. I knew for sure my own master would enjoy any information on the Mage Lord…but that was not why I was out travelling this time in the desert.

Suddenly there was a commotion as the girl rose to her feet, and screeched, "When I get to Link all of you will die! He can defeat any one and any thing!"

I would have dismissed her words for infatuated folly if not for the moment of sheer terror that flickered like a wave over their faces before vanishing. The warrior women feared this Link the girl shouted of.

She waved a tattered paper above her head as she continued to shriek and struggle against the women, "Nothing can destroy Link! Nothing can hurt him! He is the Hero of Time! He is the greatest warrior! He will crush you evil demons!"

Two women quickly pulled her arms down and, though she writhed against them, they wrapped her cloak firmly around her and tied it shut. Then they carried her out. One remained behind, to pay and then arrange for their meals to be taken out to them. When she left and a waitress too their food out, I glanced over and saw the fluttery bit of paper on the ground.

I eased out of my seat and picked it up, returning to my table before looking at it. It was a rough sketch of a young man. He wore a green tunic with a sword and shield hung on his shoulders as if they had always been there. His expression was kind, with a gentle smile and open face, except for the hardness of his sapphire blue eyes.

I smiled, yes, finding a warrior so comfortable to look this free and at the same time, this confident in his ability was more akin to my mission.

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So? review my precious, adorable, loving, wonderful, amazing, fantastic, and pretty readers! Yes that was flattery and yes, it was to get you to review... please? I love you? Love!


	25. Returned, the City of Althazar'd

**Disclaimer: **No i don't own.

**Warning: **We have a tad of lemon in this chapter! and Gasp!!! revelation of Ganon's true character?!? oh noes!

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Chapter Twenty Five: Returned, the City of Althazar'd and a Reconciliation

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**Zelda**

I rose to my feet as the doors to the throne room opened. In walked four women, with wild eyes and exotic clothes. All four were armed, but not with their weapons drawn. They strode in, looking up at me with haughty defiance. Between the second pair they supported a thinner, shorter form, wrapped tightly in a cloak. The fore most one stepped forward and tossed to the ground a leather booklet.

Her dark eyes were accusing as she said, "Your spies are not welcome. Keep your wenches in your country or such an act could be seen as a violation to your deal with the Lord Mage Ganondorf." She turned to go.

I watched, silent and unmoving as they walked out together and then turned my gaze to Ilia on the floor. I stepped down from the dais and walked out to her, the sound of my rustling skirts and the clicking of my heels was the only sound in the empty room.

I knelt beside Ilia and touched her shoulder, "Oh Ilia… I should not have let you go…"

She suddenly jerked and it sounded like she was taking a deep gasping breath after being held under water. She struggled to push herself upright, her thin arms shaking violently. "We must… princess… we must save him!" Before she could collapse I held her tightly to my chest, where she clung to me and sobbed without tears.

"Oh Ilia…" I sighed and stroked her hair, "What have I done to you? What have I done… you poor, sweet angel…"

I sat with her until she calmed and then I rose and led her from the cavernous room, to tend to her needs. Soon, with her soothed and on the mend, I would sent Snowtrill out…

* * *

**Ganondorf**

Unlike my simple, stand alone fortress, Averyn went for style, flair and population. When he had inherited his fathers' home, he encouraged the growth of the town around it. It had started with the families of his father's army and now it was a sprawling, flourishing city. The army had become a police force, to protect their loved ones, and all others who called this place their home or vacation.

There were many attractions here, from the delicious restaurants and extravagant market week long festivals all the way to Averyn's new pride and joy, the re-opening coliseum.

The grand, circular building had once been a simple circle of rocks with benches around, back in the days of Averyn's father. Now its walls soared high above the surrounding buildings and could sit half the city, if everyone stood, then the whole city could fit inside, or so he claimed.

He had sent out contingents of men to search far and wide for the best warriors who did not know or would not come on their own. Another group searched for wild beasts, and Averyn assured me he found the most dangerous beings possible.

Of course he had, for I was here…

"Lord Ganondorf," the smooth, cultured voice of a rich man's son was gentle, almost reverent.

I turned from the balcony where I overlooked Althazar'd, "Averyn."

Averyn stood in the doorway, hands on his hips and smiling. He had a pretty face and soft dark hair that curled delightfully around his face. There was a little pony tail at the base of his neck, a delightful thing that when pulled out would let his hair brush along his tanned shoulders. He wore a dark vest, bare armed and with an open chest. His pants were baggy, held up with a sash tied at his waist. His shoes were soft and close toed and the same blue violet color as his vest. Although his coloration was nothing like Link's pale features, he was almost the same height, weight and body type. He looked like a little dark, desert twin of the boy, a delicious change…

With a sparkle to his eye he cocked his head to the side and asked, "What, I get no title?"

I merely arched an eyebrow.

He continued to smile as he approached, waving a hand idly at me, even when his glittering dark eyes never left my face, "You are such a snob, but I'm glad you came here after all, especially so early before the games."

He carefully laid a hand on my arm.

I grew tired of this game we played and stepped towards him, gripping him by the hair of the back of his head, "I had come early for a reason, Averyn."

My tone was cold but his cheeks flushed, "I do have a room for a reason…This is a balcony open to the city…"

I cut him off with a hard kiss, jerking his head back as I bit down on his lower lip until it bled. He whimpered in my mouth but clung to me, desperate for my touches.

When I pulled back I hissed, "No room is close enough."

"But…Anyone could see…" His words were hardly a breath, hardly a protest.

Another kiss and then he no longer bothered to resist at all. I slid my free hand down his front and untied the knot of his sash. His pants fell down around his ankles and his vest opened wider. I turned with him until his back was to the low stone wall, kissing and biting his lips and his neck. Averyn gripped my upper arm in one hand and my silken shirt in the other as he leaned back against the stone and spread his legs like the helpless whore he was.

I held his head back with one hand in his hear, tearing away the hair tie and with my other hand I gently stroked his thigh. He whimpered and squirmed in my grip, as I lowered my head and breathed in the scent of his flesh from his neck and shoulder. I licked the warm skin and slid his vest open.

My hand on his thigh slid inwards, lifting his leg as I stepped in, pushing his throbbing cock against my crotch. He whined, his mouth open and panting and his legs constricting around my hips. He arched into me as I gently rubbed up against him and moaned my name. I curved my hand down around his ass and slid my fingers between his soft, gentle curves of rump and teased him with them. I grinned against his skin as he clawed his fingers into my shoulders.

He hissed in pleasure as I slid a finger inside of him, rocking my hips forward and pushing him down on my finger. I bit and raked my teeth along his neck, leaving a mark I knew would last a while. I put another finger inside him as I pulled away and then pushed down on him. He cried out again and I could feel the trembling of his hyper-sensitive body.

He was ready; I could feel it in the way his breath hitched, in the way his legs continued to tighten, the way his ass tightened around me, and when he whispered he couldn't stand it I knew it was over. Averyn shuddered and moaned, the sound pulled from deep inside his body and he shivered a long time before going limp and still in my arms.

I pulled out of him and away from him, he hung onto me weakly as I looked down at myself, tsking softly. "What a mess you make, Av." He was to pleased to glare and remained leaning against me with his head bowed.

No, I hadn't been satisfied myself, but we had time for that later tonight. For other than the Coliseum, Averyn was the only other thing I was here to do.

* * *

**Link**

When I reached solid land I fell to my knees and gripped the soft grass, trembling. I felt giddy; I had not done any such thing in nearly a month… The feeling was exhilarating.

I flopped over onto the grass, reveling in its cool texture. I had only lain there for a minute or two when a large tongue began to lick my face in a friendly way. I looked up at the wolf, which tilted his head to the side and looked down at me with his tail wagging gently.

I sat up and tentatively reached out. He butted his head against my palm and I cautiously began to stroke behind his ears. He sat down beside me, his tail thumping on the ground and his tongue hanging out of his open mouth. I relaxed more, scratching behind his ears and smiling.

I had always loved animals from the smallest bug (though not as infatuated as Agatha) to horses and then more, and I felt relieved the wolf was so…docile, so dog-like.

When I lowered my hand, he immediately put his paw in my lap and shoved his nose under my arm. I laughed and hugged him, running my fingers through his enormously thick coat. The wolf was fairly pleased about it as well, his tail thudding heavily enough to beat down the grass underneath.

"Damn, he was right."

Startled, I turned and froze, my hand instinctively gripping a handful of fur and the other of grass. It was as if I stared into a mirror, a mirror into my past.

There was the Warrior, the other me, wearing a blood red tunic and with the Master Sword and Hyrule Shield on his back. He stood with his arms folded and sighed ruefully, "I should have believed him from the start, he's always right."

I glanced to the wolf but other than looking intently on, he seemed unconcerned.

The warrior walked over to us, all the while saying, "I bet that you wouldn't come down here, but he said you would I also be that he wouldn't be able to get within three feet of you; he said you'd put your arms around him. I told him I'd not bother to come by and to see him fail;" he grinned and shook his head slightly, his bangs whisking across his face, "He said I'd come."

Then he opened his hands out wide and murmured, "Yet…here we are and it's just as he said."

The wolf licked my cheek. **I'm glad you're here.**

I turned to him for a moment and touched his cheek, _Me too._

**I hoped we could talk. **

I shot a look to the warrior, but he'd just settled down to sit with us. _We could. _

"That's all he ever likes to do, sit around and talk. He is a wolf of words." The warrior flippantly waved a hand in the air.

**Yes, but I have you two as my men of action.** His blue eyes sparkled with irony.

The warrior snorted.

_What did you want to talk about?_ I looked from one to the other.

The wolf laid his head on my shoulder and sighed through his nose. **I want to destroy the rift between us. I don't want to be alone over here anymore.**

_But I don't know how!_

"You have to accept him and wholly trust him and you can't ignore him anymore." The warrior said idly.

**The chasm is the distance you've put between us, but only you know why and only you can get rid of it. **I could feel the wolf flick its ears about anxiously.

"So why."

I turned sharply, the warrior was leaning towards me.

"What is it?"

The wolf pulled its head back and licked my hand helpfully.

_Because…_ I closed my eyes, _I'm afraid of his nature. I'm afraid of the death he can bring, that you both bring. _I pulled my arm away from the wolf and hugged myself. _I don't want to hurt people and I don't want to scare people and I don't want to have anymore blood on my hands. I want the ghosts of the dead to leave me alone. _I felt a hot pressure against the back of my eyes.

Hands gently took my right hand and held it out, "The souls do not follow you because of the _**blood**_ on your hands." The warriors voice was soft and near. I looked up at his face, so much like my own but sterner. "Look at your hand."

I looked down at my empty palm, cradled in his two gloved hands. _What?_

**Turn it over**, the wolf nudged my arm.

I turned my hand over, the triforce glowed slightly. When the wolf put his paw over my wrist, it glowed brighter still.

I gaped at the light.

**They chase you because of this symbol. The revenge they seek is not on you but on this symbol of the goddesses. **He licked my face once; **this is no fault of yours. **

_You are still a fighter, you both are! _I felt the words were a struggle to indicate as if they were wrong…but yet…

The wolf snorted, **The warrior was right. I prefer to sit and talk, to romp and dream than to kill. I can protect you from the ghouls, but since I live here within you, I have neither need nor no desire to fight. **His ears flicked to and fro, **And the warrior…**

I looked over to the other.

He moved to kneel beside me, his hands undermine and resting on my knees. His head was bowed forwards, his eyes half closed. "I only want power." His hands suddenly clutched mine, "I only want strength, but even that, even all my skill is nothing without your courage. I am nothing without you and…" he hunched his shoulders up around his chin, his voice dropping lower, "And if you keep shutting me away I will disappear." He took a shuddering breath, "I don't want to die."

There was a long silence.

My chest felt tight. I had never understood how separated I was from them. While I thought of them as undesired aspects, they had come to life. I took my free arm and put it around the warrior's shoulders. He trembled and held his head against my shoulder. The wolf half climbed in my lap, tail wagging and blue eyes large.

I put my other arm around him and held him close. _I'm sorry. I'm sorry._

We sat embracing for a long time before the warrior pulled back, his face flushed. "If you tell anyone that I did that I will kill you."

There was a moment were I froze as did the wolf, but then he whined and tried to lick me again and I smiled, _okay._

The warrior grinned "Shall we return you then?" He climbed up and held out a hand.

_Return to where?_ I took his hand and stood.

**To the other side of the stream, **the wolf got up and shook itself stretching a moment before it followed us back to the chasm.

_Stream? _It was farther back than I remembered, and the dark sky had began to grow light. Suddenly we came across a small river, hardly a river at all, with a careful stone bridge arching over it.

_The chasm is gone, _I stepped onto the bridge alone.

**Go back to the body, I'm sure Sukrabella is worried sick!** The wolf barked.

I laughed, nodding, and started to cross.

"Wait!"

I stopped and turned, the warrior ran up and clasped me in a tight hug. "I'm always here to protect you, ever you need me, I'll be there."

I smiled and nodded. _Of course._

He let go and I walked across alone. With one more glance over my shoulder, I cas them a wave and then closed my eyes.

It was time to wake up.

* * *

OMG Do you LIKE???? If you like, you better review, if you hate, still review!! I think this'll be the last one i post up tonight... but omg.. next chapter! hahaha, lets just say... well, you'll all see....

If you love me, you'll write me a review (yes that was a guilt trip, did it work???)


	26. Wake, Leave, Fight, Send, Lust

**Disclaimer: **No, ya'll I don't own.

**Supra-warning:** Last chapter was just a taste, my pretties. While its not too graphic, I do have a lovely little lemon at the end here (if you noticed the chapter title, cough cough) So send me love! This could be the last chapter for a little while (aww saddies)

Well, depending on the things and stuff or whatever...

Anyway. READ. ENJOY. REVIEW. OBEY! pleeeeeease!

**Chapter Twenty Six: To Wake. To Leave. To Fight. To Send. To Lust.**

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* * *

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**Link—To Wake-To Leave**

I opened my eyes slowly. The light in the room, my room, was faint. I yawned.

My mouth felt fuzzy, my tongue thick and my vision hazy. A dark, thin arm lay across my chest, I looked down, and saw the arm of a woman.

Another woman lay across me, half covering me from the chest down with her own body on top of the quilt I lay under. Her head was rested on her hands, folded together on my stomach. I shifted, feeling the body behind me connected to the arm about my chest, half sitting up to cradle me against her body. Neither of their faces did I recognize, but they both slept soundly.

I blinked some and carefully moved the arm off so I could slip out from between them. Murmuring sleepily, they resettled themselves while I stretched out stiff arms and legs beside the bed.

The window was open halfway, as was the door. The light from outside was blue and faint, chilly with the breeze of the dawn. A slight creak from the door way alerted me to another's entrance. I turned and smiled to see Sukrabella.

"Thank the Goddess," she breathed a sigh, "You've returned." She hurried in and gripped me in a fierce hug. "Do you know how terrified we all were? You just collapsed and you would not wake for three days! What happened?" She was not shrill in her concern, but gentle, with worried expression and motherly tone. She continued to gaze into my face, patting my cheeks and shoulders and hugging me.

_I went to speak with the wolf and the warrior. Why what happened?_

"Your body went so cold. We did everything to keep you warm, a fire in the hearth, alcohol, even had at least one person with you at all times for the body heat." She glanced to the bed and half smiled, shaking her head slightly, "It seems some of the wine went into these two as well as you."

I chuckled with her.

"How are you feeling now?"

I hesitated a moment, searching for the right word. _Manky. _

She laughed a little louder, "Well I suppose you should bathe then. I'll tell the others that you've recovered and we'll get ready to go."

_Go where?_

"To the Plateau of course. What, you thought all the rituals were finished already?" She hooked her arm around my neck and grinned, mussing my hair with a hand. "Not yet, love. We still have the Feast of the Moon and then the Moon Dance. Everything is almost over, but not yet."

_Oh, okay._

"So you go take a bath and get changed and I'll get Epona saddled up." She stopped suddenly, "I'm sorry." She lowered her face, her eyes flashing with sincerity and humiliation, "I'm so sorry, Link, I wasn't… I didn't…"

I took her arm from my shoulders and gripped her hand tightly, _It's all right. I'll be fine. _ I smiled encouragingly and nodded, _I'll be in the courtyard as soon as I can._

I left her behind and went down the hall to the bathing room.

**You handled that well, I thought you'd be more torn up about it**, the warrior mentioned casually in my head.

_Are you going to hang around much now?_

**Where else would I go? Besides, now that the sun down here is warm again, the wolf is too busy sun bathing and sleeping to even talk to me! **His tone was playful and light, but annoyed, **And you avoided what I said.**

_Well it wasn't a question and any way, I feel like she won't be gone forever. I only wish I knew why she changed her mind._ Closing and locking the door behind me, I began to strip down for my bath. _Something happened, I don't know what but I know something did. I just wish she had stayed and perhaps told me what was suddenly bothering her. But what can I do?_

**Look for her.**

_I can't do that._ I shook my head and turned on the water. _ I have these things to do._

**What is it for? The feasting and the rituals, what are they for?** The curiosity in his voice as prominent, but there was scorn there too.

I hesitated long enough for him to continue.

**Don't you know what they're for?**

I lowered myself into the water. _I assumed it was a sort of ritual that has to do with joining them, like an initiation. But I thought I had completed everything. _

**But you still have the feast and the dance, eh?**

_That's right. _ I began to wash myself with a cloth and sope.

**For a bunch of people out in the middle of a desert wasteland, they certainly do feast a lot…** he muttered, but not in a disapproving way.

I chuckled and could feel his amusement as well.

* * *

**Ganondorf**

I sat right behind the guard rail with Averyn at my side. He kept physical contact with me at all times, usually with his hand on my arm while his other held his ornate goblet of wine. For a body the size of Link's the man could surely handle his alcohol better than any other that I knew, now that his father was dead of course. Perhaps it was some sort of strange family trait.

We sat under enough of an awning that our heads and shoulders were protected from the devil of a sun and we could watch the battles without it glaring in our eyes.

At the moment, however, we were watching a man, whom Averyn merely called a Baitman, being toyed with by a liger.

People in the crowd hooted and jeered, laughing as the man attempted to escape, was caught, beat around by those unmerciful paws and then released again to continued the game.

"That is a well trained animal." I smiled in appreciation.

"He knows that this man is his toy. He enjoys it while he lasts." Averyn replied, he stroked my arm complacently.

"Yes, I see. But show me a warrior, Av, send out its opponent," I murmured, leaning down to say it into his ear.

"All right. You'll love this, I'm sure." He stood, raising his hands, but keeping his leg pressed to mine. He cried loudly, "Release the warrior!"

The crowd burst into enthusiastic cheer and applause as the gate opposite of the arena lifted.

A woman walked out, armed with two deadly sharp and shining scimitars. She was very tanned, and wore little more than a loin cloth of hard leather and a half top of flimsy chain mail that barely went two inches past her decent breasts. Her black hair was pulled back into a tight and high pony tail, a hairstyle I'm sure was not of her choice, and her black eyes were darkened with hatred.

Anger flicked across her face like a wind would whisk across the desert dune crests. She idly swung her weapons, the attached ribbons flashing in the sunlight, as she walked out into the arena.

I sat forward, suddenly interest as I saw the glittering necklace held just above her ample cleavage. I grinned and gripped Averyn's thigh.

The gate closed. I watched her as her scouring gaze found me. Her eyes went wide and then narrowed to black slits. I leaned over and kissed Averyn fiercely, her horror, rage and disgust making my blood pump rapidly through my body. When I finished, I glanced at her to see her trembling with the intensity of her emotions and whispered to Averyn, "Fight 'em to the death Av…to the death!"

Avery, grinning and flushed, stood again, leaning heavily against me. He raised only his goblet this time, "Fight to the death!"

A pair of flags on either side of the arena were switched out, yellow for red. The crowd screamed in excitement.

Averyn sat back down, this time settling on my lap. He grinned, pleased wit himself.

One hand on his ass and the other on my own goblet of wine, I soaked in the sight as the woman turned to the abominable beast.

What perfect fate, to find the banished and condemned Yutella here in this arena of death.

* * *

**Yutella—To Fight**

The sight of the man who had cast me from my home and doomed my life to end in fire was etched into the back of my eyes and raged like a fire through my veins. I felt a wrath grow in me that was hotter than an obsidian rock left in the desert sun.

Then to see him kiss that whore of a man, Averyn, twisted my stomach and urged bile to rise into my mouth. I grit my teeth against the action and clenched my scimitars.

As I stalked out into the center of the sandy field, I eyed the cross-bred creature, trying to put him out of my mind for now. There was no possible way to enact any revenge upon him, my former master. There was nothing more I could do but fight for the money that would free my lover and myself.

The creature growled as it approached me, crouching low, preparing to strike.

I held my weapons up in a guarding position as I inched nearer at an angle, to for it to circle me.

The noise of the crowd grew distant and I focused only on the sound of the beast's growl and the shift of sand under our footsteps.

Suddenly it leapt, claws out, limbs spread and teeth bared. I ducked down, using the flat of my blades to lift the moaning baitman and twirl him up into the air and into the path of the beast. The man was instantly snatched in paws and jaws and his life was finally torn from him. The liger, momentarily distracted, focused on the man as I rolled out to the side.

Leaping to my feet I dashed down its side, shredding and flaying its side with my swords before racing out of the way. It roared and whirled, blood dripping from its maw and from its side. Yellow green eyes narrowed their vision on me and it charged with a throat constricting roar.

It was fast and strong and seemed unaffected by the wounds I had inflicted and continued to inflict as it leaped and swung at me, snarling and wild. A sweeping paw hit my left forearm, raking with claws and numbing it with the force, and I dropped one sword. Keeping my currently useless arm out of the way, I defended as best as I could with one weapon, flexing my fingers to return the feeling in them.

It snaked in on my left side, snapping at my leg. I jumped into the air, landing on its back and nearly sliding off before gripping the back of its neck with my trembling left hand. I moved to straddle the bucking, roaring, writhing creature and attempted to steady myself.

Not too keen on having me on its back, it suddenly flung itself into the wall, shoulder first and I grit my teeth as my arm, shoulder and left leg scraped viciously against the rough stone. I lost my grip and slid to the ground as it wheeled away. Soon it circled back, many places on its body bloody, as was mine.

I leaned against the wall, bracing myself with one arm as I breathed heavily. "I will not die to you." I shouted at it, leveling my blade with it. "I will not loose to you!"

It charged. I rolled forward under it. It landed against the wall and bounced back towards me. It caught one of my legs under a massive paw and shot its head forward, tearing the loose and worthless metal from my chest. When it took the time to spit the metal from its mouth, I twisted my blade up from the sand and, guiding it with two hands, slid it perfectly between two ribs and through its heart.

The creature froze over me and blood oozed from the wound, dripping down its back and side like the trickling beginnings of a waterfall. With my free leg I kicked it off and pulled myself out from underneath. I stood, my breath heaving my bare chest and sweat mingling with my blood and stinging my wounds. I turned my gaze to the canopied spot, where the whore sat with the whore-master.

I knew, one day, I would aid in his destruction, even if it killed me. Collecting my two scimitars, one from the body and the other from the ground, I lifted them up and turned about in a slow circle, relishing in the moment of my life and my skill. The crowd adored me, as it did any current champion.

When the gates opened I left the light and the noise behind, before my bitter feelings could bring the bitter tears.

* * *

**Zelda—To Send**

With Ilia resting in a bed, sleeping under my magic so she would recover –physically at least- I stood out at my balcony, stroking SnowTrill and looking out towards the west. I paused, with my hand on its breast, and began to murmur a spell.

"_Rise like the sun _

_Bright in the East_

_And use the winds_

_Heated by the Divine_

_Race across the distance_

_Wings arched, ever powerful_

_Without need of rest, of food_

_Of drink or of mortal cares_

_Goddess watch thee_

_Goddes guide thee_

_To the one_

_She has prepared_

_And bring back home_

_That which will bring_

_The hero home_

_The evil death_

_And correct the fates to what should be."_

I could feel the energy flow through me and into the bird and I concentrated, imprinting upon it the ability to channel directly with Nayru as I could in meditation.

Then I opened my eyes and heaved my arm forward, to help SnowTrill launch. The bird swooped up from my balcony, white wings glittering in the sun and circled once before soaring towards the west.

Towards the lands of rolling sand and heathens.

* * *

**Ganon—To Lust**

We stumbled back through the dim hallways together. So giddy with drink and violence, Averyn barely could keep his footing and he clung to my arm in response. I could easily tell whenever his drunken gaze turned to me, so much fire and passion glowed in his eyes.

When we made it to the doors to his private quarters, he scampered ahead, half falling and spun, leaning against the wood to face me. He pointed at me with one long finger and slurred, "Now you… you promez…" he hiccupped softly, "Prommomise me you won't be so half-damned-harded er, hearted this time!" He attempted to look serious, but ended up going cross eyed. Shaking his head out he continued, "'s no game, Gans, 's no play timey. I…" He slapped his chest emphatically, "_**I**_ no game, no toy."

I chuckled and held out my hand to him, "Of course Av."

He took it and pulled himself to me, "I lurve…lovelove you…" he murmured before he kissed me sloppily, his eyes fluttering closed. I smiled and held him against me with one arm around his back while I opened the door.

If there was one thing that pleased me about Averyn, it was his sense of color and style and the way he carried that so flawlessly into his bedroom. The room was large and circular, with a ceiling so high it was easily twice my height. Arched windows lined the walls, making them more glass than stone and a large circular one filled the center of the ceiling. Currently moon light poured through the glass like water through a net.

In accordance to the night, the cloth of the enormous drapes and the sensually soft bed were blue-black, with shimmers of silver in the moonlight. I remembered when he'd gotten his little soft hands on this cloth, magicked to absorb light at night with their darkness and then to change during the day to the softest cream to reflect light, maintaining the perfect average temperature. They were enormously expensive, but if there was anything Averyn had, it was money.

He had assured me that they were perfect in every way, and invited me to see for myself. I had been busy at the time but now…now I had all night.

I tore Averyn's clothing off of him before we made it three steps into the room. Then I simply lifted him up and tossed him into the bed, with him giggling madly the whole way. As I approached I carefully removed my own clothing, it would not do to ruin such fine silk, and then climbed onto the bed.

He looked up at me with hungry eyes, his face flushed and goose bumps rising on his skin. He opened his mouth but I covered it with mine before he could utter a word. He clung to me with thin fingers digging into my hair and my shoulder. I teased him with my tongue and the touch of my fingers on his thighs.

I knew he could not wait, the desperate, writhing thing that he was, and I felt no desire to force him to. He spread his legs eagerly, as always, and I lifted them up enough to lift his ass from the bed.

There was no preparation for him this time, though with my size compared to his entrance there was plenty of need for it. I reveled in his pain filled, but muffled cry as I thrust into him. I grinned against the kiss, working my hardest to suck his breath away and push cries from his body.

The moment I pulled my mouth away, to rake my teeth along his skin and cause bruises so dark they'd take weeks to heal completely, he produced a multitude of noises. Cries and whimpers, grunts and half-choked screams filled the room, accompanying the clap of our bodies hitting together and the wet noises that our fucking produced.

It was over for Averyn before I ever felt any rise of true passion, with him shuddering and groaning my name before falling limp beneath me. But he'd made me promise not to be half hearted about this and I intended to keep the promise, with a smile.

The moment his orgasm faded and he opened his eyes to smile at me, I began to thrust again. He shrieked at the sudden force and snapped his head back into the pillow. I pulled out, turned him to his stomach and held his body in place with my hands. I continued to thrust at my own pace, delighting in his pain and tears.

I imagined what it could be like, touching Link this way, with him bent over in the moonlight of the Moon Dance. His pale skin milky white in the silver light and his hair leeched of color. His blue eyes twisted shut in pain as I ripped him open for the first time, stealing away the glass flower of innocence from his pretty boy face and ignorant mind and owning him completely.

I fantasized about how many times, at my leisure of course, I could have the famed Hero of Time in my bed. How much he would adore me, even when I made him bleed, even when he bore reddened, angry marks all along his body, and even when I tossed him aside, his uses fulfilled.

I anxiously awaited the day, so soon it came!, that all I wanted would literally fall into my lap. There was no force that could prevent my plans from fruition this time. I would have my bitch and I would have my perfect heirs and with them this whole kingdom…this whole continent would be mine!

Laughter blossomed and ripped through me, as did my orgasm, and Averyn lay still again beneath me as I truly pulled out. He wept silently, in his sleep, with his face pressed into his pillow. I lay down beside him, stroking his soft black hair. Perhaps I could make room for two bitches…as I would love to see my blonde with my black…

Grinning, I pulled the sheets –which were bloody amazing- over us and went to sleep, with the moon shining down the only witness.

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I know you all have opinions on Ganon! Don't you lie to me!! I can tell!!

I want to know what ya'll think about ole Gannykins now. please, do tell....


	27. Day Twenty Five and Twenty Six

**Chapter Twenty Seven: Day Twenty Five and Twenty Six**

**Yutella – 25**

I sat alone on my cot, shivering in the chill of the desert night. Many emotions ran through me, shaking my body more than the cold, and causing my soul to ache with their intense weight. Blowing out the candle on the table beside my bed, I lay down, pressing the heels of my hands to my closed eyes.

I forced the tears to stay back, and my breath to regulate, even as I relived the last week of my life.

_I raced out on the back of my brown mare, Meilikki, the wind harsh in my face, sand blowing but not enough to blind me. In the distance I could see the caravan where I knew Rayel to be, as I had just passed a small outpost they had perhaps six hours before. _

_The sun was baking hot, and my scarf snapped like an angry woman as I urged Meilikki on. The necklace around my neck was cold, and I prayed that its fateful spell would allow me to feel the touch of my love before I was to depart. _

_Meilikki glistened with sweat and heat, her sides heaving as mine were as we neared the caravan. There was a cry of alarm and the guards stared in awe of me. Bringing my mare up short she reared, screaming like a she-devil and scaring the men back. She danced a circle and then stood, her whole body shaking with the effort. I sat proud on her back, my chest rising and falling quickly within my tight bodice. "Where is Rayel."_

_I knew they knew I was Gerudo. It is hard to mistake us. They feared me, for this would be the fourth time a Gerudo visited their caravan. Perhaps they were beginning to think it cursed._

_But when Rayel appeared from behind a canvas flap, staring at me for a moment before jumping down and dashing to me; when they saw the brightness of his face and the joy in his smile they were calmed. My heart swelled at the sight of his happiness. Tears filled my eyes and I fell from the saddle and into his arms. _

_I sobbed into his shoulder and he held me, kissing my cheek and neck and shoulder as he squeezed me so close. Then he held my face in his hands and murmured my name so softly it was like the touch of a butterfly's wing. I sobbed again and flung my arms around his neck, crushing his lips down into mine. _

_That night, while the caravan was camped in a circle, we consummated our love. _

_I had never made love before but Rayel was gentle, slow and caring. Such warmth and gratification I never felt before, and I knew that parting with him would be like rending my heart in half._

_I was wrong._

_Night crept along and then brigands stole in. They attacked the caravan, just as Rayel and I lay curled in warmth of our bond and our bodies and sleep nursed us into darkness._

_Fire and chaos ripped through the peace of the night, jarring us to wakefulness, but it was sluggish. I searched for my weapons, but could not find them until it was too late. They ripped into the wagon where we were, they caught up Rayel, who struggled against them. I gave up my search and attacked with a scream like a desert lioness, wrestling away a knife from a man and killing him. Rayel was dragged out, I followed with a lunge, with only the bloody knife in my hand and the cold necklace around my neck. _

_Rayel was unconscious, blood seeped down from a wound to the back of his head. I was encircled by many men. One or two tentatively attacked and I dispatched them with a furious ease. Their deaths armed me with their weapons, a short sword and a scimitar. I took my stance and circled slowly. _

_I knew then that they recognized me as Gerudo, and even with lust on their faces for viewing my nakedness, fear kept them back from me. Only when their leader arrived and ordered them to attack me at once did they move._

_I was able to take down one or two before I was cornered. Heat at my back distracted me and I turned to see an overwhelming fire behind me. I dropped one sword and my hand reached for the necklace around my neck. Even as I knew what I was doing, I prayed to the Goddess she would spare me. I knew I cried as gripped the little locket. _

_And then it went black._

_When I woke I was caged, wrapped in rough men's clothes and bound hand and foot. I woke in a haze, looking up into a beautiful man's face. _

_He was talking to another man standing a little farther off. _

"_An ex-Gerudo warrior, hmm? Yes, this is exactly what I'm looking for. Everyone knows of their prowess…" He laughed. A sickening sound that made my blood run cold. "Ganon will be most amused to see one of his cast offs in my coliseum. I'll take her." _

_There was an exchange of money, the silent man left and the other, the pretty one who I now recognized as Averyn, Ganondorf's lover, crooned to me, "You'll fight, my pretty, fight and win. Perhaps, if you are very good, I will give you your freedom. Perhaps, if you are especially good, I will tell you how to get the freedom of your lover…"_

_He giggled then, putting a hand over his mouth, "That is, if you want him when I'm finished with him!"_

_He turned to go as I struggled up to my knees, "You whore!" I called to him._

"_Oh darling," he purred at the door, "you'll have to do worse than that if you want to phase me!" then he winked and he left._

_I remained there alone, refusing to cry, as I felt my whole being torn. I knew that I was powerless to save my lover, to even save myself, just as I knew without a doubt I had to save him. The helplessness I felt, the loneliness and the shame only compounded into hatred in that week. _

_And that was how I got here; in this dark cell where I slept and ate, in this arena where I killed mercilessly, in the inescapable horror of the coliseum. And I knew, even for all Averyn's teasing about earning enough to buy myself and my love out, that I would sooner be killed. _

_And all I could feel now, without any regret, was the sheer anger towards him, that slut, and the devil who took pleasure from toying with human's lives such as mine, Ganondorf._

**Prisella—26**

The return to the Fortress was quiet.

Our thoughts were made uneasy by the memory of Ilia's outburst, by her insanity and her obsession with Master Link. Our hearts were made uneasy by her commitment, by the determination in the Princess's eyes, a determination we'd seen before in our master's own eyes.

There were troubled times ahead, we all knew.

"Prisella!" called my younger sister, "Priscella! Come quickly!" She rode at the front of our group and I, as leader, rode at the back.

I glanced to my friend, Natella, who nodded and moved her horse back to watch it for me. I trotted ahead to Petrella. "What is it Petra?"

"It's master Link's mare! Epona!"

I reached her side and she handed me her looking glass. At the top of a dune near the one we stood on was, sure enough, Epona. She lay in the sand, hardly moving. Alarmed, I handed the glass back and turned to shout to the other two of our group, "May! Head to that dune! We have to pick up Epona! Hurry!"

What I feared, and what I sensed Petra feared, was that if Epona was out here, master Link was as well…

As I raced over there with Petra at my heels, I hoped that the troubled times had not yet come.


	28. Lies, Truths and Warnings

Disclaimer: no i don't own zelda.

Warning: Ganondorf is a two timing whore.

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Chapter Twenty Eight: Day Twenty Seven: Lies, Truths, and Warnings**

**Ganon**

I was tugging on my boots, sitting on the edge of Averyn's circular bed. As I laced them up, the man stirred and rolled over onto his back, "Gan?" his voice was sleepy and thick, "You goin' already? 'ts been only three nights…"

I turned and pet his leg slowly, "Yes. I'm a busy man, I have my own business to tend to." I stood up.

He half sat up, supporting himself on his elbows, "But it's still dark…" he pouted, his bruised lower lip trembling.

I leaned over, sliding on knee back on the mattress and I captured his lips in an aggressive kiss. When I finished he lay breathless and helpless on his bed. "Don't make such a face, it only reminds me of what your mouth can do and I'll have to have you again."

"Then stay." Averyn whined, "Don't leave me… we could stay in bed all day. I'll do anything you want."

I chuckled; his offer was hardly anything special, he _always_ ended up doing what I wanted him to do. "It's best that I go. You'll be sore enough when you fully wake as it is. I would never forgive myself if I used you up. I have to leave you something so you're still here when I return, don't I?"

He glared at me, "You have someone else, don't you." It was hardly a question with his tone so dark and cold.

I stroked his hair, smiling, "Don't you have a whole room of someones?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you're like them. You're the only one I really want, Ganon. You're the one I truly love." I could hear the truth in his softened voice and see it in his warm, loving eyes. His hand touched my arm, gently stroking my forearm and hand with reverence.

I leaned in to kiss his forehead and cheek and murmur against his skin, "Av, you know I would stay all week in your arms, like I usually do, if it weren't for this pressing matter." I cupped his face with my hand, and looked him right in the eyes. "I love you Averyn, you are everything I could ever truly love in this whole world. Any other time, if it were anything else I would stay here with you. But this has to do with the preservation of my people, this is no trifling business."

He sighed and closed his eyes, "Fine. Go… but you owe me for letting you abandon me without one last romp. You're breaking tradition!"

I kissed him on the lips again, tenderly this time, "Thank you, my love." Then I got off the bed and turned away from him, picking up my discarded cloak and swirling it onto my shoulders. I was glad I had my back to him as I strode out of the room; I could not have repressed this grin on my face if I had tried. What sweet and easy games I played with such supple and desperate men.

* * *

**Link**

The hike up to the top of the plateau was long and tiring. My skin was slick with sweat and my clothes clung to my body when we finally reached the flat area. The women were in similar condition, but in their bubbling enthusiasm, not a single one complained.

The area was a marvel, and I stood still in awe and shock at it.

It was not too large, perhaps only the size of the fortress or half of Hyrule Castle Town, but it was green. Knee high grass covered nearly every inch of the land. A few shallow dirt circles were placed conveniently around, fire pits I assumed. There were a few larger rocks protruding from the grassy carpet. A single tree stood off to the right of the plateau, with a gnarled trunk and wide, far reaching branches. Fluttery, tender and light green leaves spun in the wind.

The larges bare spot was in the center of the plateau, a circular area of perhaps fifteen feet in diameter. The stone there seemed smooth and pale, with a soft layer of sand.

While the rest of the women reached the top and began to settle about, I removed my sandals and walked through the grass, relishing in the _swish-swish_ of the grass on my legs and the cool texture under my feet. I made my way over to the tree and sat under it, looking up to see the sun shimmering through the leaves. I closed my eyes and lay back, putting my arms under my head and relaxing. It was almost like being home, if you ignored the utter dryness of the air and the grit of sand between my toes…

It was so… peaceful…

* * *

**Sukrabella **

One of the younger girls caught my attention with a tap on my arm. When I turned to look at her she pointed over to the tree. "Look, he's already gone and fallen asleep!"

Sure enough, Link had lain down under the tree, his shoulders and head barely propped up by the tree. Even from here I could tell his expression was serene.

"Let him rest," said another woman, "He will be up long enough these next few days!"

I grinned and turned back to survey my diligent women. The excitement was clearly visible as we set up camp. Light hearted chatter and laughter danced through the air on the soothing breeze while tents were put up and cooking fires begun. The younger girls danced along while they carried supplies from the three wagons to a tent, circling around and around and light as a butterfly's touch.

This was the best sort of tension, this racing anticipation and soaring hope in the hearts and faces of my people. This bubbling feeling of hope rose in my chest. There was to be an heir, but more than that, there was to be a child. A child of our king we could and we would raise as our own, raise and teach to be a great leader. We would be able to spoil him, guide him, teach him and love him. Perhaps, and most importantly, perhaps he would be without the curse of a tri-force. Perhaps he would inherit the best of both his parents, powerful will and divine kindness, keen intelligence and shining courage; perhaps he would have strength and love enough to free us from my son's oppressing hold.

We would be here for that child, and no matter what happened to his parents, we would be here, and that was enough of a hope for us all.

I turned to Era, who stood in her priestess robes, her eyes half closed and her face mild. "My daughter, have you heard anything from the Goddess?"

She smiled and inclined her head towards me, her voice light and pleased, "She assures me that everything will fall according to her designs. She fills me with gratitude towards everyone here who has followed her so faithfully and patiently.

"She floods me with trust. She knows that we will continue to be true to her and she says she will deliver us." Suddenly Era's eyes flashed as she looked me in the eye, "She says she will protect us and free us all…even the one so recently cast from our arms."

I took a sharp breath, "Yutella."

Era nodded, her dangerous expression softened, "She promises everything, and requires only our love and devotion. She is most grateful for us."

I let out the breath through lightly pursed lips. "We have her blessing for tonight and tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Fantastic." I made a tight fist and then released it, to turn and hug my truly beautiful child. Few things made me happier than her direct connection with the Goddess, except, of course, the appreciation and blessing of my Goddess.

Era hugged me back, grinning, her eyes were very bright. She felt the same happiness as I, for, as Great Kym had promised, all things would come to pass for her truly faithful.

* * *

**Nayru**

I lay high above the land; a shimmering, almost translucent boundary separated me from the mortal world below. With a hand I ushered the white bird across the barren, sandy land and towards the heathen waste.

Just as it passed from the farthest point of my control into that Godless world, a sandstorm whirled up from the ground and nearly blew the hawk from the sky. Angrily I bat at the wind, but it resisted my Divine hand.

I sat up, protecting my messenger with a flick of my fingers, cupping it in a circle of calm air, in which it circled around. The winds and sand that battered at the shield were filled with a Divine Aura. An Aura I almost recognized…

Suddenly the force stopped, and the sands settled. I felt, at that same moment, a Presence appear behind the Veil of Gods, where I resided myself. A Goddess had appeared.

She had tanned skin and stood tall and proud. Her long, flame red hair was pulled tight and high into a pony tail. Her clear, gold eyes were amused, but her broad smile was fierce. Her dark feet were bare. She wore a billowing pair of white pants; the cuffs a deep, dark blue that clung to her ankles and the waist band the same color and holding fast to her hips. Her bodice was only a strip covering her breasts, which were full and, to my chagrin, larger than my own. The cloth was a lighter blue, and above it, just under the base of her throat was a black, upside down triangle.

Slung diagonally over her back, with the dark brown leather cutting across her chest and holding a gilded black and gold sheath, hung a sword. The hilt, gold with a large black opal in the end, was over her right shoulder.

I stood, my eyes narrowing as I crossed my arms over my chest. "Kym."

"Nayru."

"What are You doing here? We banished You to darkness?"

"Have You been in the desert on a clouded night? There is nothing darker in the world, except for the caves residing under the sand." She put her hands on her hips and tossed her hair over her shoulder.

"We sent You to the twilight world!"

She tilted her head to the side, her mouth still smiling dangerously but her eyes became as dangerous, glittering razors.

"How did You get out?" I demanded.

She still refused to answer.

"Kym!" I filled my voice with a low warning.

"Take Your messenger from My lands. I will not have You interfering with My hero."

"Your hero. _Your_ hero?!" I growled and stepped forward. "How dare You claim a man of _Our_ lands as one of Your own!"

She laughed, throwing back her head, her white teeth flashing in the sunlight. The sound was loud and harsh. I shivered and scowled at her. When she finished, her eyes were sparkling and reflecting the amusement in her smile. "Keep Yourself from My land and I'll make sure Your kingdom will remain safe."

I felt the heat come to my cheek, "How dare You think You have any right to tell Me what to do! I am a High Goddess; I am and have always been more powerful than You!"

"I am not telling You, I was making a deal. You stay back and I'll stay back. When Link has finished what he started here he'll be free to choose where he goes." She then turned away and vanished, with a lasting remark, "So stay away."

Gritting my teeth I looked down to the world where the white hawk circled in the air. With a sharp gesture I ushered the bird forward.

"No outcast is going to prevent Me from doing as I wish."

Than there was Kym's voice, "Nayru, You're being foolish, why didn't You heed My warning? My power is strong here."

There was a throb of Divine Power across the sky and the white hawk shuddered. It turned and began to fall. Before it had gone ten feet another surge of Divine Energy smashed through it and stripped the feathers off the bird. It plummeted to the ground with in a cloud of white feather.

The sudden snap that signified the connection between me and my messenger smacked me across the face. I jerked back, burning in embarrassment as Kym's husky chuckle echoed in the air around me.

* * *

OMG Kym is awesome!!

(no i didn't describe what Nayru looks like because she doesn't deserve to be as awesome as Kym.)


	29. Final Feast and the Dance of the Moon

**Disclaimer: **no i don't own zelda. but i'm crazy about it. so i come up with this crap. omg this is a crazy CRAZY CRAZY chapter...

**Major Mondo Warning Foo's:** PLEAASE READ HERE: This chapter has two separate scenes of lemon, one hetero, the other slash. This is like a lemon meringue pie. OMG LEMON EVERWARE EEEEEVERY WEREREEER.... okay enough spaz...

seriously, don't want to read any lemon? well, this sucks for you. because its lemon and its totally key to the plot.

PLUS OMG DONT HATE ERA she doesn't mean for it to happen that way...sort of... maybe... hahaha anyway... here it is REVIEW OR DIE

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**Chapter Twenty Nine: Final Feast and the Dance of the Moon

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**Link**

"Master Link."

The fuzzy haze of sleep lightened from blue black to grey white. I turned away from the voice, put my arm over my head and nuzzled into my pillow.

"Master Link." The voice was gentle.

Other sounds of talking and laughing attempted to invade my sleep.

"Master Link, please get up." It was a new voice.

Someone was cooking. I sniffed the air. Fresh grass and sizzling meat filled the air with a delicious aroma.

There was some hushed whispering. I took another deep breath. The air was filled with the scent of honey wine.

My eyes snapped open and I jerked my head up. A cluster of girls, bending over me giggled and scattered away. Sukrabella held the open goblet next to my face.

"The moon has filled the land with the Goddess's light. The time is right to begin the very last of the Moon Festival. Drink. Eat. Celebrate! Tonight is the feast. Tomorrow is the dance. Tonight we celebrate our lives. Tomorrow we celebrate our futures. Tonight many things are. Tomorrow all things will come!" The women shrieked with laughter as I took the wine, closed my eyes and began to drink.

I felt refreshed, relieved and could feel my growing excitement (like my erection) mirrored in the wolf and the warrior. Finishing the drink I wobbled to my feet and lifted the gold cup up, _let us eat!_

Then I was swooped along the center of the plateau, where the fires and dishes and women ate and spoke and danced. Two or three of the women played instruments that others drank, sang and danced to.

The moon hung low in the sky over us, looming over us like a giant eye.

I drank and ate. Meat juices dribbled down my chin, sugary treats melted in my mouth. I sat with my back to a fire, one hand holding a goblet of honey wine that was always being filled and the other grabbing with any and every type of food that came within my grasp.

**We should dance.**

_Dance?_ I was drunk. So was the warrior.

**Yes. Dance!**

I laughed and surged to my feet, but the sound was more like a bark. The wolf was drunk as well, romping around in my mind like a pup. Swaying and stepping away from the food, I began to dance, the sand sifting and turning under my feet. My hands were above me, towards that low flying moon, and I could feel the presence of others joining my dance.

Music and song blurred in my ears and the moon filled my vision.

A strange urge took over my body as I flung back my head and summoned the wolf. He howled; the sound burst from my chest to escape out my throat and mouth and soar into the heavens. I called until I and the wolf had squeezed the last gasp of air from our lungs.

As my voice, as the howl of the wolf, faded from my ears, I felt only chill and silence around me. The women stood or sat in a circle around me, staring with large eyes and gaping mouths. There was no motion, no sound in the entire area. Even the wind had died down.

Then one, a young girl, bounded forth from the crowd and landed before me with bare feet and legs. She wore only a short shift, her arms bare, and glowed near-white in the moonlight. Her skin was black as night and her eyes darker than the sky, she grinned at me, her teeth like little pearls, before cupping her hands around her mouth and leaning back. She held her face towards the moon and howled.

The wolf inside me wriggled in ecstasy. He cast back my head and we joined her howl. Mere moments into the call, others joined us. The music began again. The dancing and howling of other women added to the pulse of the rhythm.

Much of what happened afterwards I could not remember.

******

I awoke slowly.

The first thing I felt was warmth. The second thing was a massive head ache. I decided to stay exactly where I lay, comfortable on whatever I lay _on_, with my eyes closed and the world quiet.

There was no reason to get up, I knew, for, from the sound of it, no one else was awake yet either. It was only fair for me to sleep as well.

So back to sleep I went.

* * *

**Sukrabella**

I slowly picked my way across the plateau towards Renella. She had taken the morning guard shift at the top of the trail. She had signaled me to come over and I jumped over a few sleeping drunks to reach her.

"What is it?"

"It's Petrella and Prisella, they've Flashed me word that they've taken that Eastern girl home to her kingdom. She has more to say than that, but it's too complicated to send."

"All right, thank you. Direct them to me when they arrive."

She nodded and I left her. I went to the opposite side of the plateau and met with the guard there. "Have you seen any sign of him?"

"No mother," said Sinella, lowering her telescope. "Not so much as a single stir in a dust cloud."

"All right. You keep an eye out and tell me as soon as he appears."

"Of course."

I nodded and pat her shoulder, "Good. Thanks." Then I turned and went back into the thick of the camp, going into the center where the bonfire smoldered in its ashes. Era was the only one upright in the whole area. She was kneeling with Link's head cradled on her lap. She gently stoked his hair.

For a moment I hesitated, keeping still. I knew that in this moment she was not possessed by the spirit of the goddess. I could tell, from the soft and loving expression on her face.

Link, even in his sleep, seemed more at peace than I had seen him before. He had one hand lying out on the ground while the other held Era's still hand.

I saw something in her eyes, however, that made me only feel fear for her in my heart.

"Era," I whispered, quickly and quietly stepping to her side and kneeling. "Era, darling."

She looked at me, her eyes shining and troubled, "Mother."

I touched her shoulder.

"Mother, I love him." Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Era…" I tried to get a warning tone in my voice but all that came out was a shadow of her pain.

"I love him so much." She shuddered and curled over him protectively, her loosed hair falling over his back like a red curtain and her dark skin like black metal against his alabaster back. "It's not right…It's not fair…" her voice was desperately soft and she shook. She sobbed softly onto the back of his neck and head.

"Era!" this time the warning was there and it was sharp.

She jerked upwards and grabbed my arm, tears dripping down her face. "Please mother, let me be with him until Ganondorf arrives. Please let me stay with him."

"Era this is too dangerous. If Ganon catches a single whispering, a single breath of this and he'll kill you."

Era looked away, her voice hard, "The Goddess protects her Faithful."

"Ganon is a godless beast!" I snapped.

"Then let me be with what peace I can find before that beast destroys the last of it!" She gestured to Link. Her eyes screamed her anger and her pain but her voice was still and her face blank. She was as stubborn as her brother.

He suddenly stirred. Turning onto his back, he opened his eyes, _Good morning…?_

Era brushed the hair from his eyes and she smiled down at him, quickly rubbing her tears from her cheeks. "Good morning."

"Link," I grinned at him, "are you hungry?"

He laughed, sitting up to kneel with us, _No, not really. I'm just hungry._

"Well, down the trail a bit there is a water source in a cave. You could bathe there."

_Great. That would be wonderful. _He stood, as did I. Era looked down at her hands and remained still.

I pointed over to Renella, "Go to her and she'll point you down the trail to where the pool is." He nodded to me and trotted off towards her.

I turned to Era and knelt beside her, "Era, my daughter."

She smiled at me, lifting her head and looking over my shoulder in a distant way. "Mother, the Goddess has advised me on my next course of action. She implies that you needn't worry."

I furrowed my eyebrows in worry, but I nodded. "If you say so."

She stood and put a hand against my cheek, momentarily meeting my eyes, "It will be all right, Mother." Then she turned and walked away in the sedated walk of Priestess Possession, how she walked almost all the time these days.

* * *

**Link**

The cave was dark and cold; the only sounds echoing through it were my footsteps and the drip of water. The cool air was pleasant against my sun-heated skin.

The pool of water was just around a corner in the cave, and was half hidden from view by a ring of stalagmites. I only saw it because of my lantern I held swinging in my hand, that was a smart thing to keep.

I set it down at an opening to the pool and quickly began to strip, dropping my clothes and shoes on the ground. I slipped into the pool, shivering, with goose-bumps riddling across my body. I floated there for a while, dunking under to soak my hair and scrub my face.

Bobbing up to the surface I turned at the sound of a footstep that crunched over a rock.

_Era._

In the lantern light her eyes glowed like molten metal. I could just barely see the outline of her face, open and with a soft smile. "I have brought you clothing and a towel, for when you finish your bath." She set the folded clothes beside my rumpled ones, "I also brought you soap." She held out the white bar.

I went to the edge of the pool and held out my hand. _Thanks. _

After she handed it to me she tilted her head to the side, running a hand through her hair, "Do you understand what is going to happen tonight? What the Dance of the Moon entails?"

I shook my head slowly.

She looked thoughtfully at me for a moment and then murmured, "Perhaps I should show you, it is the easiest way of telling you…May I join you?"

I nodded and drifted back. She set down the other cloth she held in her hands and then stood straight. Her eyes met and held mine as she unfastened the strings that held her pants to her hips and ankles. Dropping the light cloth she pulled her top up and over her head. Her breasts were bare beneath them, round and full and dark like chocolate. She removed her loose hair band and let her hair fall freely down her back and across her shoulders. Her under wear, a touch darker than her skin, she peeled off and stepped out of.

Nude, she stepped into the water, her hair, blazing like fire in the lantern light, floating on the surface of the water around her head and shoulders. "Here, hand me the soap, I'll go through the dance with you step by step."

I nodded and gave her the soap.

She took it and lathered it in her hands, "First, the women will circle the barren part of the plateau. There will be fire and instruments. Only the largest drum will beat while you and Ganondorf walk to the center, perhaps hand in hand. Either way, once you reach the center you will turn to face each other. He will hold in his hand special oil, prepared for this night. With the oil he will do this…" She took my wrist and pulled me to a shallower part of the pool, where we could kneel, albeit shivering, above the water.

With the lathered soap she gently coated my arms, her fingers trembling but warm. She averted her eyes, but continued to touch me. "It's special oil that we priestesses prepare. It…heightens the senses," she chuckled, "this soap is nothing like that, of course, but he'll spread it like this…perhaps."

She hesitated as her fingers crossed across my collar bone. Her eyes met mine for a moment, and then she lowered them again. "I don't know what he may say, or if he will say anything at all while he touches you." Her hand slid down my chest. I touched her hand and she looked up at me. Smiling she pulled hand from under mine and shifted a little.

"After he puts the oil on your body, the music will begin." She put the soap down in the shallow water and cupped it, washing off the suds. "There will be dancing then. The women will start to sway, the music will grow and change, then you two will dance."

I was cleaned then, and too cold to stay so far much in the air I was. I took her arm and pulled us towards the water, _I'm cold, let's go into the water…_ She nodded and we slid into the water.

_What happens after the dancing?_

"I've seen this dance only twice, and though they were different they had similarities." Her eyes flared in the lantern light as we turned in the water, until my back was to the light and she faced me. She had one hand on my shoulder and the other on my chest. "The couple will touch, they may dance only or perhaps kiss, but it all ends the same."

_How does it end?_

Her eyelids lowered, "Sexual intercourse."

I felt a shiver that was not the chill of the cave run down my spine.

Her eyes opened and met mine. "This dance will end with Ganondorf entering your body."

I looked away, shuddering. Her touch brought my face around, "This scares you doesn't it. He's never done this to you, has he? You don't even know how it works, do you?"

I felt the blush burn across my cheeks and I couldn't meet her gaze.

"Don't worry, he knows that, he even likes that, but he won't enjoy it with you cringing and fearing and dreading each touch." Her breath was sweet and as warm as her touch.

"Are you afraid of it?"

_Yes, I've… I've never…_ I looked away again.

"Link…" She grew closer, much closer.

**Link…Link she wants to give you the experience to deal with Ganondorf later. Link she wants to have sex with you now so that when you are with Ganon later you won't be so afraid.** The warrior elbowed me in my mind. **So are you going to shove her away and risk it with Ganon, whom you so determinedly love, or are you going to take the gift she offers with the gratitude that you should?**

I looked at Era. Her eyes fluttered closed and she leaned in close.

_If she wants so much to help me, then I suppose it could not hurt…_ I could feel the approval of the warrior inside of me. I closed my eyes and lifted my hands, to hold her face.

Her lips parted under mine, she pulled closer to me, until her body was flush against mine. Her arms were around my shoulders, heating them in the cold water. I think it was the warrior who urged me on, but I soon felt a fire burning in my gut similar to that feeling when Ganon would kiss me.

I opened my mouth to her and moaned as her burning tongue plunged inside. Her legs slid up my legs to my hips and she hugged close to me. I stepped backwards, in surprise and my back hit against a stalagmite. Era made a small noise in the back of her throat and suddenly I was very aware of her firm breasts against my chest. I gasped and broke the kiss, pulling my head back and gulping in the cold cave air.

My eyes met Era's and the emotion I saw there made my heart thudded wildly in my ears.

"Link…" she breathed, the lantern light glinting off her lips and her eyes.

I turned us both directly around until her back was to the stone. I dipped my head down and kissed her lips fiercely. Whether or not it was the warrior who guided my passion meant nothing now. I touched and pulled and pressed against her body, exploring as much as I dared.

My kisses led me down her neck and to her shoulder. My hands held her leg and her side. She had one hand deep in my hair and the other arm around my neck and holding onto my shoulder. She panted softly in my ear, whispering my name in a way that only made me groan and thrust my hips.

Her hand across my shoulder suddenly slid down my chest and to my crotch. She touched me, her hand hot, and I cried out. She laughed, not in mocking, but a rich, throaty sound in my ear that made me shiver as much as her hand did.

I felt her legs shift, spreading a little wider as she used her shins to guide me against her. "Like this, Link… it's done like this." Her voice was hardly more than a tease of sound but her hand was more, much more.

She led me inside her, with her own hiss and my own gasp, and I could do nothing more than let my body take over. The thrusts of my hips provoked delicious sounds from Era that only urged me on. She held on tightly to me and I to her, barely able to keep my footing in the loose sediment bottom of the pool.

I found my mouth on her heaving chest, unable to resist tasting all that was above the water. Her breath came shorter and faster, each exhale bearing my name. She cried out and I saw sparks behind my eyes as she clenched around me.

I bit down on black skin as sparks and stars flared behind my eyelids. My grip on her body turned to iron and I tasted blood in my mouth.

Just as I felt all the muscles in my body burn with fire and molten lava, a twisting wire of mixed agony and pleasure surged through my body from my groin, arced along my spine and coiled into my head. With a deep, lung filling breath I felt my body relax. I rested my forehead on Era's shoulder, delighting in the way her breath rolled down my neck and shoulder.

I could feel the curve of her smile against my neck as she gently kissed me there. "Link…we have to go back now…"

I nodded numbly.

We, eventually, pulled apart and climbed out of the pool. Drying off, I snuck glances at her bare body, amazed that it could be so supple and gleaming in the near darkness. She turned a smile to me and then began to dress in the clothes she had brought for herself. I followed suit and soon we were strapping on our sandals and folding up our dirty clothes in the wet towels.

She had pulled her hair back into a ponytail that began at the base of her neck. It was loose, but tight enough to keep the hair from her face. As I tucked my bundle under one arm and gathered the lantern in my right hand she stepped close to me.

She didn't kiss me, as I almost expected, but laid her head against my shoulder for a moment, as if she were seeking strength and warmth from me. "Thank you…" she murmured before stepping back again.

We left the cave in silence together.

It was the first time I had felt so comfortable with a woman before, and it was a pleasant feeling. I only hoped that the feeling would never be ruined between the two of us…

* * *

**Era**

As we walked up the trail together, Link leading the way and myself following, I found that I was soothed, as the Goddess had promised me.

I knew not all of what She had planned for myself and for the others, including Link, but I knew that what I had done She did approve of.

How could I think otherwise when it had been Her idea in the first place?

My Goddess did not only protect her faithful… but rewarded them as well.

These were the things I thought of as I watched my beautiful Link's backside as he walked on ahead of me.

* * * * *

When we returned to the top, Mother was heading towards us with two women in tow. They looked road weary and dirty, but I recognized them as two of the four sent to take the insane girl home.

A strange expression flicked across Mother's face as she looked from me to Link. Perhaps she could tell what had happened, but it was likely she only could guess.

We met by a wagon, stopping to talk.

"Link, Era, these are Petrella and Prisella." There was a brisk exchange of greetings conducted by Mother. Link seemed curious but puzzled.

Sukrabella grinned, clapping her hand on Link's shoulder. "They found Epona on their return home. Their other half of their group is taking her home as we speak. She is alive and well, Link."

Tears sprung to my lover's eyes but did not roll down his cheeks. _How soon can I see her?_

"Three days at least. Tomorrow we leave here and it takes only two days to return home. It's not too long and she'll be well rested when you return."

His posture relaxed and he looked away, smiling to himself. I could easily see the tension leave his body as he heard this news, from the slight droop of his ears, the re-adjustment in his stance and his lowered shoulders.

And then his emotion filled blue eyes were on my face. His thoughts passed too quickly for me to make out, but I could not mistake his desires when he touched my arm. He wished to share this relief and joy with me.

I put my hand over his and smiled, lowering my eyes, "I am so glad she was found alive, Link, I do so hope that you two can repair your friendship."

He nodded, turning back towards Mother and taking his hand from me in the process. He said something about food and Mother directed him to the cooks. The other two women departed just after him, but in the direction we had come from. They were off to bathe and rest.

Soon, Mother and I stood alone.

She stepped close to me, grabbed my arm and hissed, "What did you do?"

"I instructed him in what was happening tonight, Mother. I simply talked him through the dance." I replied smoothly.

"So he knows that he and Ganon are to have intercourse?" Her eyes searched my face and her grip lessened.

I nodded. "I just spoke to him, Mother. So he has time to adjust to what will happen to him tonight."

She frowned.

"I am not lying." I glared at her, "Someone had to tell him because he didn't know!"

She sighed and then released my arm and said in a soft voice, "And I suppose that was what the Goddess had instructed you to do?"

I smiled, "Yes."

"All right. I trust you." She gave me a quick hug and then left to tend to her other duties.

I stood there for a moment, a hand on my lower abdomen. Forever I would treasure, a secret between me and my Goddess, the passion of his love and the strength of his lithe body. His furtive cries in the dark would be only mine to bear, just like the bite upon my breast or his seed within my body.

It would be the sweetest secret in my soul.

* * *

**Link**

I ate lazily, just a bit of bread and cheese and fruit, sitting under the lone tree. I felt strangely full and pleased with myself. Closing my eyes I leaned back against the tree and folded my arms across my chest, to think.

I wondered if sex with Ganon would be as gratifying and heated as it was with Era. It was… difficult to put the feel of her body from my mind and I found myself wishing she would come and relax beside me.

I closed my eyes, smiling, wondering how she would feel. I could just imagine how she would walk over and sit beside me, facing me with our legs touching and her hand on my thigh. She'd lean forward and lay against my chest like before, with her head on my shoulder. I would put my arms around her, to protect her, and close my eyes. That was peace… that was ----

* * *

**Ganon**

He jerked awake, gasping with his eyes wide and his legs clamping around my hand. _What the hell is---_ I grinned down at him, interupting his expression with a delicous pinch. He panted, his hands clutching the grass, nearly ripping it from the ground as he twitched, _Ganon! When did you get here?_

Then he groaned as I rubbed and kneaded his groin. "It's nearly time for the Dance, Link, the moon is rising and everything is set up. Soon we dance and be bound together forever. It will be a perfect union, my love."

He gave me a precious smile but then it vanished with another groan as I changed the pressure of my grip.

"Are you ready for tonight?" I could feel the growth of my grin on my face and the excitement heating my blood.

He nodded. _Y-yes. I'm ready._

I pulled my hand away and stood, holding out the same hand to him. He took it and got to his feet, his legs shaking slightly.

I lifted his face with a finger and kissed his lips. "Go get ready, they're waiting for you."

I pushed him off towards the awaiting priestesses with a pat on his rump. He shot me a strange look but trotted away.

I smirked to myself.

Finally, _finally_!, he was going to be all mine. Desi was right; he was a delicious little yellow cake.

And tonight, I would feast.

* * *

**Link**

I followed the cluster of robed women to the wagon and then climbed inside at their gesture.

A single woman stood inside, wearing a dark blue robe that was floor length, but with the hood down. A light blue collar of a separate tunic lined the base of her neck. Her bright red hair was piled high on her head with a curly tail of hair looping off to the side. She turned and I smiled brightly, but as I comprehended Era's expression, my smile vanished.

There was anguish in her face, and I stepped towards her, lifting my hand to comfort her. _What is it? What's wrong?_

Her hand touched my face and her dark, thin fingers trailed down my cheek to my neck, touching the necklace there. I reached up and touched it in surprise, I suppose it must have been brought with those women who found Epona, and placed on my neck while I slept.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Her tone was husky and low; there was a troubled darkness in her golden eyes.

I hesitated, _I think so. I'm a little afraid, because I'm not sure what it will be like…_ Faltering, I blushed and ducked my head a little, _Well I do, but I don't think I wholly understand it._

She gave a small smile and took one of my hands in both of hers. "Don't worry…I think you'll be fine. Just…I think it's best to let him take control at first."

I nodded. Then she pulled away and went to a crate, "You need to take off your clothes now and put on this." She held out a white robe.

I quickly stripped and wrapped the robe around me, tying the sash tightly around my waist.

She stood with her hands folded together at her stomach and smiled as I turned a circle for her. _Is it okay?_

"You look lovely," she murmured.

I stepped close to her impulsively and kissed her cheek, blushing again, _Thank you._

She nodded and then she took my face in my hands and spoke in a quiet yet commanding tone, "Tonight you will enter the ring and go to him. You will discard your robe and he will oil you. When he wishes he will enter you. When the dance ends I cannot tell you what he'll do. Don't worry, we are here for you."

I smiled, _I understand._

"If you are ready then, you can go." She pressed a single kiss to my forehead and then stepped back, opening the way out of the wagon. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it before slipping out of the wagon and into the night.

* * *

**Ganon**

The single largest drum beat slowly behind me, behind the circle of dancers, and its deep, low sound reflected the heart beating in my chest.

The moon was huge and bright, its light so illuminating that there was no fire within the circle itself.

The circle moved subtly and an opening appeared. Link stepped through, his white robe and pale skin blazing in the moonlight, especially against the dark robes of the dancers. He took two steps into the circle and stopped. He lifted his head and looked me in the eyes.

The circle closed behind him as he started to walk towards me again.

The beat of the drum grew faster with each one of his footsteps.

The moon flashed in his eyes, reflected off the sand and his robes, they were silver and fey, large and knowing. I shivered.

Each movement flashed open his robe and revealed a pale patch of thigh and made my mouth water. When he stood in front of me, the drum beat a steady, quickening rhythm. He watched my face as his hands pulled loose the knot of his sash. With a shrug he slid the robe from his shoulder and let it pool on the ground around him, like an ashen pool of moonlight.

I hissed softly as my eyes raked over his lithe body and I wondered how I could have ever compared him to Averyn. The cream of his skin was eternally more appealing and desirable than the brown of Averyn's. He was taller and more defined, with smooth but well worked muscles, unlike Averyn's simple skinniness. His face was more expressive, his eyes more beautiful and his lips so tender.

Yes, as far as comparison went, it was as if Averyn were a poorly made copy of Link, hardly worth comparing at all.

This was the perfect vessel to carry my children…and the perfect pet to keep in my possession.

Without turning my gaze from him I opened the bottle of oil and poured it into my right hand. He held his gaze even more strongly than I, never once faltering his blue eyes from my gold ones. I broke my gaze to watch how the oil slid over his body.

I knew how the properties of the oil would heighten the nerves on his skin, making his body ultra sensitive while drugging his mind to receiving all feelings as pleasure. I knew that soon my touch, the grit of sand and even the whisper of my breath would send rivulets of fiery delight racing through his body.

I hurried with the oil, covering his arms and chest and legs and neck. I turned him to cover his back and then I let myself slick up his crotch and his ass. I removed my own clothing, a loincloth, at that moment.

The oil had taken effect, and he whimpered, his body tensing and relaxing under my experienced touch. His little hips thrust against my hand and his shoulders pressed back against my chest. His hair slid like water against my skin and he turned his fair head from side to side in moaning agonized pleasure while I played with him.

The music was loud and pulsing by now, with the ethereal echo of chanting women and the spinning, whirling dancers following the ritual.

I leaned my head down to bite and rake his tender neck with my teeth, leaving behind red splotches so dark they looked like patches of dried blood. I delighted in his sounds, but no longer were they enough for me. I slid my hand inwards, slipping my fingers down the center of his ass and fingering the small entrance there. The moment he felt me there his eyes flashed open wide and he pushed back against me.

Abruptly I was fully aware of how much I wanted to possess him, how much I _needed_ to have complete power over him and inside him.

All the little things which had prevented me from ravishing him before were now moot. Nothing in the world could make him refuse me now, at this moment when he was so drugged and vulnerable. There was no need for tender touches or whispered words of affection or assurance. He was to be mine; now, first and always, to have and feast on whenever the mood hit me.

He choked back a scream, but I only grinned, relishing the feeling of his body splitting open and being filled with me. I kept one arm around his stomach, holding him rigidly in place as I thrust into him. His small hands and fingernails dug into my skin, but the superficial wounds were nothing to me.

I shut out the music and the dancing and the world and concentrated only on the sweat dripping down my body, the heat of his body, the tightness of his entrance, and his weak, fluttering breaths.

Caution and discipline were no more to me. His body was my toy, his heart was my slave, and his mind was my delight. No more did his coy sensitivity have any status in our relationship. There was but one master and one pet, and tonight I would set precedent.

He came before me, of course, shrieking and tensing until he finished and his body went limp with his worthless seed wasting itself on the sand at his feet. I continued my rhythm, as it was my climax this whole dance was for.

Finally I came, a torturous shuddering as my semen shot from me and into his body. At the same moment as my last grunt pushed from my mouth, the music halted. I stood still, panting and grinning to myself. I removed my arm as a source of support for my doll and he fell away from me, collapsing onto the ground. I stepped and turned away, giving my legs a moment or two to regain their strength.

I left the circle for my prepared tent. Four days of hard riding, on man and beast, with little rest and then this final romp, as Averyn would say, had worn me out. Besides, I thought as I entered my luxurious tent, Mother would take care of him for me, she was used to that.

* * *

**Era**

When the music ended I slowly opened my eyes and stood up from my seat on the crate. I walked to the end of the wagon and opened the flap enough to look outside. Ganon was striding away from the circle, and I could see Link's crumpled form in the center. I closed the flap, my hands clenching into fists so tightly that blood dripped from my palms onto the wood floor.

"You bastard…" I bit back the other curses that wanted to explode from me. Throwing open the flam I jumped down. Pushing my way through the crowd I broke through into the open center.

I took off my dark outer robe and swirled it around, putting it down on Link. I looked up, glaring and accusing at the women around me. They stood, silent and watching. No one moved.

My mother's face was cold as she walked forwards.

"Era…" there was soft warning in her tone.

Link stirred, pushed himself up and shook his head. _That was…it was… Was it supposed to be like that?_

"Are you all right Link?" I brushed sand from his face.

_So…tired._ He collapsed back down on the ground. It was like the spell had broken on the women. Most scattered, escaping from the area with terrified faces. Some, a few, stayed as Mother growled orders to them.

I knelt beside him on the sand, nursing my hatred for my brother and holding tightly onto Link's hand.

* * *

_**Time so passes...**_

**

* * *

Link**

I lay awake, wrapped in a blanket under the tree. Tall grass shifted in the wind and I was watching how the sunlight melted through the green plant. I wasn't quite sure how or what I felt about yesterday, only that the oil had done something to me and that there was a heavy feeling in my chest.

The thought of the oil scared me, as everything that had happened after it had been applied was a jumbled mixture of memories and heat and pain and delight. I could barely remember, specifically, that Ganon had been inside of me. It was the pain of my backside that reminded me that he had been.

**Link? Link are you…?** The warrior's voice was cautious but very present in my mind.

I squeezed my eyes shut. This heaviness in my chest was not a feeling I had ever felt before. It was neither the suffocating pressure of water all around, nor the struggle for breath in a low oxygen area. The feeling was of a heavy rock, or hand, has holding my heart, restricting it from beating.

_What happened? Do you know what happened? I can… I can hardly remember._

**He does not love you.**

I turned and pressed my face into the ground as the hand on my heart gripped tighter, pulling at it and squeezing it.

**You can feel it, can't you? I can feel it too, through you. There was no love in what he did to you last night.**

My breath came out of my nose in a shaking, stuttering rush.

**The wolf feels it as well and, for once, he is speechless.**

_Has he ever loved me? Has he ever felt like he said he did?_

The warrior winced, **I…I don't think so.**

_Then why am I here? Why did he demand my soul and my body so? Why did he do so much to make me feel as if he loved me? _I shuddered, _was it all a ploy?_

**I think it…was. Remember last night? How, when he was finished with you, he let you drop to the ground? He let us fall to the ground as if we were a… a… dirty pair of pants!** I could feel his trembling anger, but it was tempered.

_You're angry…_

**Yes I'm angry, I'm furious! **There it was again, that violent, boiling anger, but it was subdued into only his voice and not some attempt to usurp my control of my body.

I felt myself smile, _But you're not doing anything._

**What can I do? He has all power over us! And I … I don't have any action to take so I'm not taking any action.**

I pushed myself up, getting onto my knees and hands. _Yes, there is something we can do._

**What?**

I winced as I stood, my backside aching. I shed the blanket and ran my hand through my hair, looking around.

**What can we do?**

_We can find out _why_ we're here. We can find out what he wants from us. _I walked, albeit painfully, towards the only remaining tent up. With no sign of Ganon anywhere else in the camp, he must be in there.

********

As I neared the tent, Sukrabella and Era confronted me. The older woman grabbed my arm and turned me around, away from the tent.

"Link," she hissed, "What are you doing?"

_I'm going to talk to Ganon,_ I replied fiercely.

"If you go in there you won't end up talking, that's not what he wants right now." Era jumped into the conversation.

_We will talk, because I am in no mood for anything else._ I pulled away from Sukrabella's grip but she only took hold of my other arm.

"What are you going to talk to him about? Surly nothing is wrong!" The brightness in her voice was false and cracked. She smiled but her eyes were darkened with worry.

I paused, _If he doesn't love me, and I know that he doesn't, then why am I here? What was all this fore? To endear me to him through rituals and food?_

Sukrabella froze, her smile dropping from her face.

"You mean he never told you?" Era's words were a breath. Her eyes so wide, the whites showed all around her golden irises. "All this time he never told you what the purpose was for any of this?" She gestured out over the camp. "Your necklace, the potions, the spells, or the meaning of the dance? He never explained?"

I shook my head. Sukrabella's hand dropped from my arm. "What a foolish…foolish…I told him…" She muttered, turning away.

Era shook with rage, her surprise burned away with anger. She spoke with a tight voice through gnashing teeth as she snatched my arm and towed me away, "Yes, let's go _talk _to Ganon."

* * *

**OMG...**

**I BET YOU DID NOT SEE THAT COMING DID YOU HAHHAHAHAHA .... neither did I... omg this story has totally gotten a life of its own. Seriously. So Review. Because I _KNOW _that you got something to say about this... yeah. if you don't, where the heck is your brain. did you flush it down the toilet? have you been reading strange things? eh eh eh... **

How about you review because you love me? And I love you? Looooove?


	30. Temporary Escape

Disclaimer: I write this for fun and pleasure? and not for cash. i don't own anything zelda related except for my games and my link poster... xD

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Chapter 30: Temporary Escape

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**Ganon**

My tent, bereft of all but my luxurious bed and pillows, was heated with the sun beating down on the cloth. Last night had left me tired and satisfied, but now I was considering getting some wench to call Link and bring him in here. His pretty little body was mine now, it was true, but even sex addict Averyn had taken nearly a full day to recover after our first time…

The tent flap opened, to my surprise, Era walked in with Link in tow. I levered myself up with an arm. "Link…Era." I looked from him to her and back to him, half shutting my eyes and grinning.

"You lied to him Ganondorf," Era snapped, demanding my attention. "Whether by omission or half truths or whatever else you were telling him, you lied about everything to Link."

"Era, get out," I dropped my voice in warning and sat up. Link's blue eyes dropped from my face down my bare body and back to my eyes. He blushed lightly.

"No. You never told Link you were going to impregnate him? You never told him that he was going to bear your children?" her anger flashed in her brilliant eyes and her hands clenched into fists at her side.

"What does it matter to you? He is not, and will never be your lover. He is, and will always be my belonging. His body belongs to me, already, and I was the one who decided that I desired his heart as well." I shifted my gaze to him, giving him a gentle smile. "You know why I went after you, Link, why I was so desperate to have you as mine. You're the only one I really want, Link. I love you Link, you are the only thing I could ever truly love in this whole world."

I saw his breath hitch. He closed his eyes and looked down, slowly shaking his head. When he looked at me again his eyes were sharp as a skinning blade.

"What did you tell him Era?" I pulsed out my magic out and dragged Era over to my side. It grabbed her by the chest and neck and forced her to kneel at my side. "What did you _tell_ him?"

"I told him…that you…never explained. You never told …the truth to him…" she gasped for breath.

"You stupid bitch." I back handed her and she thudded back down onto the ground. "It never mattered whether or not he wanted to be pregnant. It was not his decision." With my magic I shoved her away from me in disgust. "Get out of my sight."

Link knelt beside her, touched her shoulder. She turned over, gasping for breath and getting up to her knees with her back to me.

"Link, come here."

He looked up at me, his eyes still so cold and so sharp. Era turned her face from him. Link stood slowly. I pat the bed beside me. I wanted to touch the body that would bear me perfect children.

He put his hands behind his back and walked towards me. His loose clothing fluttered in a slight breeze that also opened the tent flap and stirred his beautiful blonde hair. At the bedside he stopped. His nostrils fluttered. I could see his heartbeat in his throat.

"Link…I love you."

And then he bared his teeth in a growl and lunged, his arm whipping around and Era's ceremonial dagger flashing in his hand. I was stunned. I fell back against the bed, he was over me. The metal was cold inside of my body and hot at the same time. I couldn't understand how he could do this, when he had abhorred blood and violence. He had told me, he had hated himself … so much.

Then I was staring into his face, cold, distant, blue eyes meeting my gaze and his skin so pale. _**You never have.**_ I felt my flesh part as he raggedly jerked the blade down, blood filling places in my body it should never go. His gaze froze my breath in my chest and made my heart pound. There was a creature…a wolf in his gaze that forced me to feel fear.

Then he pulled away blood on his hands, on the clothes, and a fierce pleasure in his expression. I tried to move, there was a sickening squish and a _plop!_ and pain soared through my body. Link left the tent with Era, without looking back. I lay back, gasping for breath and my vision sparking with darkness.

* * *

**Link**

I held Era in one arm until we got out of the tent then she pulled away from me. She stared at my hand and then grabbed my shirt, "What have you done!?"

The wolf snarled together in the back of my mind. I squeezed my eyes shut and put back their emotions and even mine. I pushed her away. _You should have told me. Someone should have told me. How could you just assume he would be truthful when you know that he is a monster incapable of any true, human emotion besides his pride and his greed?_ There were many women staring at me when I opened my eyes, Sukrabella was one of them.

"Link…The blood…Where?"

"He stabbed Ganon, mother!" Era cried, rushing to her. "In the stomach!"

The fear and horror that rippled across the gathering shocked me. There were exclamations of disbelief and even anger. Anger towards me…

I stepped back one step. The only thing behind me was Ganon. I had to escape. I turned and I ran, shoving my way through the women. I couldn't stay here. It wasn't safe.

**For you or the baby.**

The wolf's half murmured words startled me and I stuttered to a stop, my heart beating in my ears, and knelt in the shadow of a wagon. _What?_

**The baby. If they went through all this trouble for you to have a child you are going to have one. He was right about that, at this point, it is no longer your decision, you are having a child. **

_I don't want the baby! I don't want __**his**__ baby! I wish…I wish…_

**Don't you dare wish that baby was dead. **

I shivered at the acidity in his voice. _But it…I…_

**Damn it, that baby is mine as well as yours as well as his. **I could see him behind my eyes, his hackles raised, his teeth bared and his blue eyes as sharp as his curved white fangs. **We are going to take care of it. We are have that child and it will be ours, whether or not Ganon survives your stabbing him to be around there. **

I pressed the heels of my hands to my closed eyes. _I can't raise a child…_

**We'll worry about that later, but now we must run. We will see where things will go.** I got up to my feet and wiped my hands on my shirt. Taking deep breaths I began to run again. It was now or never.

* * *

**Man**

The wagon smelled awful. I grimaced with each wind that passed through from the back to where I sat at the front. I had four escorts with me. Four men that I knew well and trusted to help me capture these beasts we had now.

Something white and red caught my eye and I slowed my horses and stood to see better. In the diminishing shadow of a rock lay a body, with gold hair and blood stained clothing. I stopped the horses, knowing there was no feasible way it could be who I thought it was. I jumped off the wagon and slid my way down the dune, fishing for that scrap of paper in my vest pocket.

Reaching the rock I held it in trembling hands and grinned. It was him! This unconscious man perfectly resembled the man in that eastern girl's picture. I turned to call to one of my men and then knelt, putting away the picture and opening a canteen of water.

My master Averyn would be well pleased to know I had found the prized warrior of the east for his coliseum.

* * *

hee hee hee

Yes I know it's short, but I put it up anyway because i've been getting a lot of reviews (which I totally appreciate) and I wanted to let you guys in on the next little secret(well sortof) of what Link is going to go through. So enjoy this "beginng of summer" post. Hopefully i'll be more productive this summertime. Love you all sooo much! (and i love the reviews more!)


	31. Manscorpion!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own zelda. this is all for fun. enjoy it. bwahahah  
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Chapter 31:** **Manscorpion!

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**Link**

I sat at the front of the wagon with the man who had rescued me, his name was Jarom. He held the reigns of the two horses loosely in his hands, his arms resting on his legs. He had dark hair and dark eyes with very tanned skin. Sitting next to him, with white skin, pink from sunfire and blonde hair light and fluttery as down feather, I knew just how out of place I was. He had given me a wide brimmed hat to shade my head and neck as well as a canteen to sip from. I still wore my clothes, red from Ganon's blood, and sand had gotten under the thin cloth and stuck to the remnants of the oil on my skin.

The man suddenly cleared his throat and asked, "You come from the east, yes?"

I nodded.

"I had a cousin who traveled out there once, he said everything is covered in greenery and there are many places of wide open water. Do you miss it much?"

I sighed, _Every day. More so now than before._

"Ah." He was silent for a time, as we traveled across the sands with the wind blowing and the horses snorting softly. "I'm sorry I cannot take you back to your home."

I looked down at my hands, holding the leather canteen. _Why not?_

He glanced at me, I couldn't read his expression. It was worse than being with Ganon, where I could see the emotion in his eyes. Jarom had no such transparency.

"That's not my job."

I nodded again and closed my eyes. I was beginning to think that I would never return back home to my pastures and it hurt, even though I had known it was almost guaranteed as soon as I arrived here.

His voice dropped in pitch, "I'm truly sorry."

He lapsed into silence again and I didn't try to get him to talk. The silence between us was long and yet comfortable.

--------------------------------

Jarom stopped the wagon for a moment when we topped the last crest of a dune before the city. He called it Althazar'd and said it was ruled by his master, Averyn. He told me I was to meet Averyn, and when he said it I had seen a kind of sadness in his eyes.

While we were stopped I stood and looked over the city. It had fairly high walls and large gates decorated with beautiful white statues. Several smoke stacks rose into the sky and most of the materials that made the buildings were a similar red-orange sandy color as Ganon's fortress. I could barely see the flutters of color that had to be awnings and tents that filled the streets. The two buildings that stood out the most was the white-gold circular building riddled with arches and had flapping flags of dark brown with a cream colored rupee with a circle around it.

The other building was square and faceted with many windows and several balconies along the two sides I could see from here. I pointed to it and turned to Jarom, _The house of Averyn?_

"Yes. And that other building is his most prize possession. The Grand Coliseum."

I looked at the city again. It had a strange, desert quality of beauty, very different than the towns I had known before, and not only in its size. Then Jarom tugged on my shirt hem, and commanded gently, "Sit, we're going to go now. I don't want you to fall off."

I sat obediently still watching the city as we rode closer.

--------------------------------

Jarom led the wagon through a side entrance, close around to the back of the coliseum. There were a series of dark, strange smelling, stable looking barns with quiet men working swiftly and carefully. He stopped by a wagon and motioned for me to get off, "We're going to unload what we've got here and then I can take you to see Master Averyn."

I nodded, _Any way I can help?_

He gave my thin body a dubious look. "Not at the moment, this monster we've got is…well, just stay here by the wagon." He left me then and went around to the back of the wagon with several other men. I leaned against the wood and sighed, useless…

I watched, bored, as they pulled back the canvass and began to push the large metal and wood crate from the back and into the waiting hands of the not so thrilled workers. There were mutters and grunts and half shouted curses as the ten or so men hauled the box from the wagon to a stable. It had to be at least ten feet long and five feet tall, probably five feet wide as well. As they opened the doors to the stable and slowly made their way over, with the co-ordination of a group of men who have been carrying these boxes together for weeks now, the box began to rock and shake. Someone shouted, "Hey watch it!"

"It's not us!" came the reply. And from a slit in the crate I saw burning red eyes suddenly meet mine.

"It's waking up!" someone else shouted.

The creature inside began to roar then, an almost human almost animal sound that struck fear into the men carrying the crate. The warrior inside me instantly awoke from his bored doze and set my blood boiling with the thought, **let's kill it.** I flinched at his blood lust but nodded. _If it escapes the crate._

**Then we will need a sword!**

I looked around quickly, searching for any type of weapon.

**The man has one! Jarom, he has one on his hip!** My eyes locked on the simple blade at Jarom's side. At that moment, the side of the crate shattered, a clawed, scorpion like foot burst out and struck a man in the shoulder. Another one broke through the bottom. I raced forward and reached Jarom's side just as the crate was dropped, trapping one man beneath it, and the top was ripped out from the inside.

I gripped Jarom's arm, my left hand sliding over to his sword as I met his gaze, _Give me your sword, I will kill the beast._

He grabbed my wrist, "You cannot. It is for the coliseum." Then his gaze turned elsewhere and I looked as well. The monster rose from the crate, standing easily at six feet tall. It had a man's torso with thick arms and hands with only a thumb and two clawed fingers. This part was red, a deep lava red with molten eyes that looked over its surroundings. The lower half of its body was a scorpion, sandy colored and bony. The creature's stinger tail was ridged down the back like a dragon and whipped around the man's body, smashing the remnants of the crate.

The crate had not been large enough for this creature, its tail easily making it twenty feet long and its width as wide as its height of six feet. It turned its gaze towards me and snarled with fanged carnivorous teeth inside of that noble, human face. Tail rising to strike it surged towards us, towards me, hissing with arms outstretched. Jarom was frozen with terror.

I shoved him back, pulling out his sword in the same motion, and stood facing the beast. It smiled with glee and swiped at me with clawed hands. I ducked one way and then another, keeping my place between Jarom and the manscorpion. Its wicked tail sailed over its head and came crashing down on my blade. I trembled under the pressure, watching a single droplet of venom gather on the end of the hook and then drop down to hit the ground between my bare feet.

It sizzled there and I spared it a look, it steamed and hissed on the cool sand. I swallowed tightly. One drop, in the right place, could be fatal.

Suddenly it grabbed me by the arm and lifted me up, its tail retracting. "Weakling…" it hissed at me. It made to throw me aside, but I swung my arm up and locked it around its wrist. It shook its arm violently, squeezing my upper arm viciously in its scaly grip. I switched the blade to my other hand and quickly lined the tip up with its wrist. I shoved it through the scale and the bone and the monster shrieked, blood spurting around the wound and it released me. I dropped down, the blade sliding out with me and switched it back to my left hand.

Crouched over I raced towards it, though Jarom was shouting at me to get away. Kneeling under its belly, I had only a moment to slice through two of its legs where they met the body, hamstringing it as best as I could before I had to roll out of the way.

Stumbling the beast turned to follow me, screeching now, its left hand useless but its left arm held up in defense. Two of its legs slipped and slid under it, and the tail waved back and forth.

I circled it slowly. It followed me, hissing and spitting like an angry cat.

I stopped when a hand touched my back, I didn't have to look to see it was Jarom, who had regained control of himself. "Lead it into the stable, we'll drug it in there, but you can't kill it. Not yet." He gripped my shoulder very tightly, "Do you understand?"

I gave him a swift nod and then dashed forward. The manscorpion reared back, but one of the hamstrung legs faltered under his weight and brought him stumbling down. I dared to run up to it and smack its wounded arm with the flat of my blade, taunting him to follow me. The warrior wasn't pleased I wasn't going to kill it, but enjoyed himself in the fight anyway as I backed into the open stable. The manscorpion only had eyes for me as it followed me into the steel cage. With my back to the cage I waited for it to lunge, breathing heavily through my nose and holding my sword before me.

It came at me with a roar. I ducked down, rolling between its legs. It slammed its upper body and head into the steel wall, dazing itself as I ran out of the open door. Men slammed it shut behind me and I could hear the shouting as they went to drug it. It threw itself against the steel again and shouted, "I kill you weakling! I kill you!"

Jarom found me in the chaos and pulled me aside. I trembled with adrenalin and nervous energy. It had been a while since I had done something like that. Jarom was grinning, his hands on my shoulder as he whispered fiercely, "You were amazing. Do you think you could kill it?"

I felt the warrior pull at me for a moment and I let him take over, still jittery from the fight. He met Jarom's gaze and replied smugly, **Of course. **

He shook his head, "Amazing…" he quickly looked us over. "You're not even hurt…"

**Well my arm is sore…but yes. Amazing.** The warrior preened under Jarom's praise. Then he turned the sword around, hilt towards Jarom and said, **This is yours.**

Jarom took it, wiping it off with a handy rag, and sheathing it. He was still beaming, "You saved my life. I am…forever grateful."

I nodded, the warrior subsiding in a bubble of self-satisfied glee.

His hand still on my arm Jarom said, "I shall take you to my master, then. Hopefully, his … decision will be favorable to you." I nodded again and followed as he led the way from these dark stables.

The wolf, muttering in the back of my mind, reminded me how dangerous that could have been for the baby…

I ignored him.

* * *

**Jarom**

I truly regretted having to bring him to Averyn, there was only one thing…or perhaps two, that my master would make him do to 'pay him back' for _my_ service to him. Neither possibility I was particularly happy about. I found that I was taking a liking to the blond, thin child-like man, he was amiable company and not bad to look at.

Something Averyn would surely note upon. I could only hope now that he would treat Link kindly…though I had a feeling in my gut that my dark haired, jealous and petty master would find _something_ to turn Link's life into hell.

As we ascended the steps to his palace, I made a quiet oath in my heart that if he did such a thing I would personally free Link, as repayment for saving my life. He deserved to return to the green lands he belonged to.

And I would be the one to take him there.

* * *

**lol** awesome right? some of you may or may not know this monster (its name actually is manscorpion) and I got it from the advanced dungeons& dragons book because my brothers are nerds like that, okay? this next bit is probably going to be Link centered and stuff, with a bit of this and that thrown in I suppose, and i'll have some other monsters in from the AD&D book because they're some pretty sick creatures. I hope you all enjoy some good fightin and angst, because thats what the next little bit is going to be about!! and oh yeah, Link is definitely preggers, even if he's not so sure yet, he so is. hee hee see ya'll soon!

Give me reviews, my pretty readers, because i also want to know what you think of Jarom and how involved you'd like him to be, i fear he is growing on me and i don't want him to do that if it bothers ya'll! and stuff like that. have fun my ducklings!


	32. Blood of the Hydra Mind of the Girl!

**Disclaimer: Do not own zelda things. sad day.**

**This **chapter is dedicated to Asura Mori (and all my other glorious readers, loves loves!) because I really started working on DF when i spokes to Asura on my MSN (btw if you want to talk to me via msn, go right ahead. i like peoples, especially you readers!) (and i'm not afraid of ya'll messaging me!)

anyway CHAPTER HERE. READS IT.

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Chapter 32: Blood of the Hydra, Mind of the Girl

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**Jarom**

Link followed me up the sandstone steps, his bare feet silent on the rock whilst my boots scuffed up the ever present layer of sand. The front doors were open, white curtains billowing out around the slim gold framed glass of the doors with the hot desert wind. Link trailed behind me into the large, half circle chamber. The ceiling arched high above our heads; the tall windows that lined the walls were open as well with the sheer curtains around them of varying colors.

Behind the courtiers, lounging on cushions and eating from the silver dishes held by servants, were pale yellow curtains. Behind the couches on either side of Averyn were light green curtains, musicians sat on Averyn's right and on his left were a selected few of Averyn's private harem. Behind Averyn himself were pale blue curtains. The lounge cushions that the people were on were darker colors of the curtains behind them.

Before Averyn's silver gilded dark blue seat was a low table with plates of food, and at his gesture a servant would bring him a platter with the food.

"My lord Averyn!" I called as I entered, sweeping a deep bow before continuing forward a few more feet. "I have returned with more than fierce creatures for your grand coliseum." I dropped down to one knee on the other side of the table of food. Link knelt down behind me, hands in his lap and silent as ever.

"Oh welcome back Jarom! What _is_ this little thing you brought back?" his dark eyes were fixed on Link with a glow of hunger.

"This is Link, a great warrior from the east. Perhaps the greatest warrior of the east."

Averyn laughed, "Are you suggesting that I send this delectable man into the coliseum?" He popped food into his mouth, lounging back on his couch.

"My lord, Link has…escaped from lord Ganondorf's captivity."

"Ganondorf?" Averyn perked up instantly. His gaze flicked to me for an instant before he addressed and stared even more curiously at Link, "Why were you with Ganon?"

I glanced towards Link, who looked up, _He gave me an ultimatum. I gave my body for my country._ He narrowed his brilliant blue eyes; _I paid my debt to him. _

"Your body?" Averyn hissed. He sat up sharply, "What sort of relationship were you in?"

_I don't understand the question._ Link shook his head.

Averyn stood up from his seat, his loose clothing ripping around his body like ribbons of water as he walked forward around his table, "Did you have sex with Ganon?"

Link scowled, _Yes._

"When was the last time you had sex?" Averyn approached us now, his eyes burning, and his jaw clenching tightly.

_Two nights ago. He…_Link stopped as Averyn's hand smacked across his face. His surprised expression faced me.

Averyn gripped Link's chin and turned his head from side to side. "I can see why … but still…" He shoved Link away, "Take him to the coliseum then. I want him to fight tomorrow in the afternoon. Let's see how good this warrior of the east is then, shall we?" Averyn stepped towards me, putting his hand on my shoulder and leaning in to whisper in my ear, "Every one of his matches will be to the death, Jarom, give him the nastiest monsters and the worst weapons. I want him dead in battle, do everything you can to facilitate that."

Then he smiled and went back to his chair, where one of his whores waited for him, and shooed us with a flick of his fingers.

I stood and pulled Link after me, my hand like a vice around his wrist. I dragged him out of the building. _What is it Jarom?_

"You have a sexual relationship with Lord Ganondorf? Why didn't you say anything?" I growled, fearing for him more and more every moment.

He jerked me around and grabbed my shirt collar, _I didn't tell you because it was only sexual once and it was because of that one time that I left him! I stabbed him in the stomach to keep him away from me and I left. _He was breathing fast and let me go, rubbing his hands over his arms. _It's in the past, it doesn't matter. Not to me, not to you, not to anyone!_

"Link… Averyn is going to try and kill you. He's jealously protective of Lord Ganondorf, even though he himself is not loyal." I reached out to Link but he pulled away from me.

_I will fight in his coliseum. Just take me somewhere I can clean up and rest._ Link sighed.

I put my arm around his shoulders tentatively but he did not push me away again. I led him back down to the coliseum.

* * *

**Link**

I slept dreamlessly that night and woke up to a knocking at the door to my small bedroom. I sat up on the thin bed, stretching, and ran a hand through my hair. In the room I had as my own there were no windows and for furniture there was my bed, a stool and a crate at the foot of the cot, where any spare clothes and armor I was given was put.

I walked across the packed dirt floor with my bare feet. I opened the slot at the top of the door and was startled at who I saw lit by a candle in her hand. _Yutella?_

"Master Link…" she leaned in and whispered, "Please, let me in."

I unlocked the door and swung it open. It was Yutella, but not in a way I had ever seen before. Se wore next to nothing in clothing, just a loincloth, chainmail over her breasts and long strapped sandals that went up to her knees. She stepped in and shut the door behind herself, set the candle on the crate and cupped my face in her hands, "How did you ever get here? You must tell me everything."

I nodded and took my seat on the stool. She sat on the bed and leaned forward with her elbows on her knees and her hands folded together in front of her. I rubbed my neck and then sighed. _I completed the ritual called the Dance of the Moon and almost right afterwards I found out that Ganondorf only wanted me for my body, for an heir and that he did not love me as I had loved him. In my anger at being used and my heartbreak, I stabbed him and fled into the desert. I would have perished if not for Jarom, who found me and brought me here._ I hesitated for a moment, then shook my head.

_I am grateful to him, even though he is the one who took me to Averyn, and thus here in this Coliseum._ I gave her a small smile as I finished with; _I am not worried about fighting. I am a good warrior. My only concern is for the child._

Yutella's breath was shallow, "Child?"

I blinked, _Yes. Did you not know?_

"I did but… Are you sure that there is a child?"

I shook my head again, _No. I am not sure. I do know that I did not want the child, but if I have one growing within me, then eventually this fighting will be too dangerous…_ I chewed my lower lip. _If Averyn is so protective of Ganondorf, could he end up trying to kill me because of the child?_

She reached out and put her hand on my shoulder, "If he tries, I'll do whatever I can to help, but I doubt he will do that. When you begin to show…I think that he will decide to keep you as an oddity instead. I'm not sure, of course, for I never knew him before I came here, but … I do know he is fickle and delights in the strange." Squeezing with her hand she chuckled, "As a pregnant man, you will fall under that category, there is no doubt."

_Yutella…how did you end up here?_

She gave a bitter laugh and told me her story, ending with, "And now I fight here as best as I can to survive. They've fetched more monsters for me, and you, to fight. I don't know where they keep Rayel or I would have tried to save him and escape before now." Tears shimmered in her eyes but she did not cry and her strong voice did not falter.

_I…_

She stood suddenly, "I was sent to get you and take you to the training room. They will give you the clothes and armor to wear. Your weapon will be given to you just before you battle. Come on, Master Link."

I stood and followed her out the door, shutting the thin wood behind us as we exited into the dim hallway.

* * *

**Jarom**

I stood above the gate where the multi-headed lizard creature hissed and spat and waited in agitation. I held the chord that would open the gate and let it loose upon Link. The viewers were screaming wildly as the warrior's gate opened. Blonde, pale, and thin, the audience began to howl with laughter as they saw Link step out into the arena, looking around with dark blue eyes and a simple, unadorned sword in his hand. He wore dark brown breeches and sandals strapped tight around his ankles.

He stood for a moment, still, looking up at the sky with his empty hand on his stomach. When he walked into the middle of the arena, his eyes were the dark blue of the night sky and his lips pressed into a hard, thin line.

At that moment I heard a call down the chain, "Open the gate!" With a deep regret and guilt growing in my stomach, I pulled on the rope and the heavy metal grate opened.

The monster, a Hydra, rushed forward at once, its heads roiling and Link barely rolled out of the way. Or rather, rolling isn't what you would call it. He did handless back flips away from the monster, and then dashed to his side, rolled, and jumped up, his sword coming down across the back of one of the heads, neatly slashing it off.

As he slid off to the side and dashed away from the monster, complete silence fell over the audience whilst the Hydra's separated head writhed on the ground and the rest of the creature whirled around to face Link. Link shook blood from the sword and then braced himself for a moment; I could see his chest heaving, but his gaze never faltering. With a shout, Link charged forward, sword raised, and attacked the monster head on.

I winced as he lunged and his blade was caught by the middle head. The crowd roared as the last head snapped down to bite him. Link pulled himself up by his arms, his knees up to his chest. He twisted, pulling the sword with him and cracking the teeth of the beast. He landed lightly on the right head and sprinted up it's neck, grabbing it by one horn and straddling it. The right head bucked and writhed, the middle one snapped at him. My breath caught in my throat as he fended off the middle head and rode the twisting one.

Swinging around to the underside, holding on with his legs, he stabbed up behind its jaw and through its neck. Blood poured out of the wound as it cried loudly, throwing back its head. Link went with it, gripping the blade with two hands and pulling down. He slid down the neck, the blade cutting the thick muscle and scales down to the base until the head was on two split halves of a neck.

The middle head roared, snapping at him as he pulled himself free and rolled away. Its scream was nearly human as it lunged at him, raising the hairs on my neck and arms. Link ran towards the wall, his blond hair and bare shoulders spattered with its blood.

The Hydra followed him and an incredible speed. When Link reached the wall he slid to a stop and turned with his back to the wall. The Hydra slowed, its head bobbing and weaving with golden eyes focused on him. The right head was limp, bleeding and useless, but the left neck was wriggling and budding two more heads.

I could see Link staring at the head for a long moment and then lifted his sword, glaring at the beast and his eyes still that same dark color. I leaned forward, my breath shallow, "It's as if he's a different person…"

Hissing with three mouths, the beast closed in on him. Link ran forwards, dropped down and slid underneath the beast. It whirled again, trying to step on him as he dashed away. He stood in the center of the field holding up the sword as the beast raced towards him. The crowd screamed for blood, whether it was Link's or the Hydra's I didn't know, only that they wanted someone to die.

The beast reared up, looming over him, blood gushing from the sliced neck. I gripped the low parapet until my fingers were numb and my knuckles white. The three heads bore down on him, grinning and drooling.

They all struck at once from different positions. I reflexively closed my eyes and cringed as the crowd whooped and hollered.

Averyn's raging howl made me open my eyes. I turned and looked up to his shaded seat. He threw his goblet on the ground and screamed. His face was dark with rage. From him I turned back to the field, but could see nothing but the beast, writhing and screaming itself.

* * *

**Link**

Dark life blood dribbled down my arm and into my hair. I lay on my back, both hands on the wooden, leather wrapped hilt of my sword. The entire blade was plunged deep in the animal's body, puncturing between two wide underbelly scales.

_**All right, I'm glad that hearts are generally in the same place for everything,**_the warrior muttered in my head.

**Get out, boy, before it crushes you!** The wolf's voice was tense. I nodded and wriggled out between its legs, clawing through the sand to escape. I staggered away from the beast in his life throes. I heard the screaming of the crowd and looked around, wiping the blood from my face.

I lifted my fists above my head and the people screamed louder. I searched the crowd before I found who I wanted, Averyn. I met his gaze and smiled. _Is that all you have? You can't kill me with something so simple._ I let the wolf bare my teeth and tipped my head back to let him howl.

I dared him to try and kill me.

I dared the world to try.

With the blood on my body and the sun on my skin, I felt only a surge of power.

*

I stood in my corner of the washroom, carefully cleaning off the blood from my chest with a rag.

"Master Link," I turned to see Yutella. She wears a towel wrapped around her breasts, with a gold locket on her warm brown skin, and holds another dripping towel in her hand. Her red hair is loose and wet, draped around to one shoulder. "Please allow me to help you."

I frown uncertainly but nod.

"Thank you," she stepped close and began to clean my neck. She worked gently and quickly, while I washed my front.

A few minutes of that went by until one of the other warriors whistled, walking over with a grin and a swagger. He wore nothing but a towel over his shoulder. I flicked my gaze at him and then turned away, continuing to wash.

"What have I got to do to get you to wash me, pretty doll?"

"Back of Sladt." Yutella turned her back to him. He walked forward, reaching for her. The warrior snapped in my head, _**I don't care if she can take care of herself. I want to smash something! Besides, what will they do if you keep your back to them? **_

**Break his face,**the wolf snarled in agreement, to my surprise. **He could be a danger to the baby. If we must face monsters continually, we will not face these nuisances on top of that! **

I shrugged with one shoulder, looking at the wall, _If you insist._

**But if you get hurt, I will kill you myself.**

I snorted and turned around. I stepped past Yutella and looked up at the man. He was much taller, broader and heavier than I was, with thick dark hair, a couple of chipped teeth and a scar from his collar to his navel that was ugly and red.

"Look at you, little tiny, scrawny puppy aren't you?" the man leaned down and sneered in my face.

I reached up and grabbed his lip between my thumb and forefinger. Digging in my nails I twisted and pulled, my arm coiling with the strength of the warrior and the wolf behind it. His lip came off, spraying blood, and he hollered and danced backwards, clapping his hands to his face.

"You little bugger!" someone shouted while others laughed. Yutella stepped closer to me and put her hand on my shoulder, squeezing lightly. I gave her a quick glance as I threw aside the strip of flesh.

She understood I did not stand up for her sake but for my own. She also supported me and would fight with me. It was strange, entering a fight and knowing I had a capable and deadly ally, but I didn't mind it at all.

A few men stepped forwards, as scruffy and ugly as the first man. They stalked closer, grinning, believing that we stood no chance against them.

Before any fight could begin, a metal door slammed open and in strode the finely dressed and wholly fuming Averyn himself with two sleek guards on his flank. He came straight to me, looking me over as if I were a cut of meat and grinned like dragon. "Look at this, Lord Ganon's cast offs have found each other even now! I find it amusing I not only get his abandoned bitch of a servant but his loose legged whore as well!"

The wolf and warrior snarled in unison. I held still, watching him blankly.

Averyn surged forward, grabbing me by the chin and turning my head. I kept my eyes on him, though, and kept my glare cold. He leaned in with his wine smelling breath on my face and grabbed my cock. I flushed involuntarily. This was the first time it had ever been gripped so, as Ganondorf had focused solely on his own pleasure and I had never touched myself in that way.

He squeezed and twisted his wrist violently. My toes curled in reflexive pleasure as shivers ran up my spine. He knew exactly what he was doing to me as he smirked into my face and hissed, "I have been told by my Seers that you will not die in battle, so when I tire of your show there," he pressed his lips to mine, biting and pulling my lower lip.

My body trembled, not with desire, but with the strength of will it took to keep my furious counterparts at bay. Pulling away he finished his sentence, "I will see your show in the bedroom, and know exactly why my mage lord would keep such a trollop as you."

He stepped back and stalked out again. The other fighter had backed off long since and when I turned around Yutella was glaring at the door, her body as tightly strung as a bow string.

I touched her arm with the back of my hand and she snapped her head towards me. _You were right. He will have me in his harem._ I smiled, but it was without humor.

She put her right hand over her heart and her left on my shoulder closest to her. "I swear on my life, I will get you out of here so you may bring justice to this land. I will do whatever it takes."

I nodded solemnly and then returned to my washing, my mind blank and my vision still tinged with the anger of my mental companions. I would be unable to escape alone, and with Yutella's help it seemed hardly any more plausible, considering we were both in the same situation…

* * *

**Zelda**

I knelt at Ilia's bedside, holding her hand and stroking her sweaty brow with a soft cloth. "Poor girl…" I murmured, tears of guilt brimming in my eyes. "I should not have let you go out there alone…"

There was a gentle knock at the door before it was pushed open. I stood, setting the cloth in a shallow bowl of cool water. "You've arrived, I am so grateful, Shaman Renado."

I went to him, clasping his left hand in mine. He placed his right hand over mine and leaned forward, "I am glad to be of service, my queen. You tell me Ilia is here with some sort of illness?"

"Yes. She will not wake up. She dreams, I know, because she screams and cries in her dreams, shouting of demons and devils." I led him over to her. His face saddened at the sight of Ilia's sallow skin, shallow cheeks and and he sighed, closing his dark eyes.

"She has been through so much so recently," he murmured as he sat in my chair beside her bed. "It is a wonder that she survived so long, with her mind so fragile."

"Can you help her?"

"I will do my best." He turned towards me and gave me a patient smile. "I'll move her when and if she becomes stable. The village is a more familiar place to her, and it will be better for her rehabilitation."

"Of course. You can use my carriage for transportation when she's ready. I'll do whatever I can to help facilitate you." I nodded immediately.

"Thank you very much, my Queen." He bowed his head and turned back to Ilia. I watched for a moment before a servant came to the door and I had to leave to meet an emissary from neighboring kingdom. At the door I hesitated and looked over my shoulder, my heart breaking at the image of the poor girl lying helpless in the bed and the wise shaman who would heal her, hopefully.

Then I walked away, knowing that there was little I could do to help at this point.

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....**TBC**

**I **put in quite a bit of Jarom because i really like him, and i want to develop him (he's going to be around for a while) and i think i'll do a little review reply here, because it's been awhile and i've gotten a few good reviews. well, by good i mean interesting. xD

sooo here goes!

**mr vaati: **it's kinda funny that Jarom reminds you of Geno, because i've been like "Lol, Geno is so cool!" all week. so strange, very strange. and no, he isn't Geno, but if he seems like him that's not my fault. Jarom's just awesome like that.

**J.J. Jamokes:** sorry about the not constant lovey dovey, (well not really. Gan's evil. you gotta remember that.) I'm really glad you're connecting with Link, that's really important to me (and i'm sure there will be more smut, just wait till after some of the fighting! xD)

**L of N: **:D longer review will get you more love, but i love you for reviewing anyway.

**Asura Mori:** Link doesn't understand that being prego kinda restricts what you can do (not yet anyway) don't worry though, the wolf'll keep him in check a little more...hopefully. Yay for liking Jarom, i work hard on making him ...well him. (even though he showed up as a surprise) OH, and i tried to make this one longer for you!

**Darklink1720:** I hope i continue too, and i will, as long as i don't die. and the acceptance of them leads to stuff like this chapter, where they're so there and making with the emotions and stuff and he has to hold 'em back, or something? *hands you next update through your computer* xD

**UnHappyPrincess:** I accept your devotion and proposal. xD and I'm sorry about Ganon being evil, but there won't be much more of him until the second edition of DF (because i refuse to write a fic that's a freaking long more than 60 chapters at one time. don't worry though, there will be more.) and i never said nine months~!

**Midnight_W0lf:** pish, the naming of the characters is what just comes to mind when i begin to write them, the name comes after the character. *sticks out tongue at final fantasy* this is zelda, and I am the maker of names! what's the gender, eh? don't worry, all will be revealed!

**Azure Neko:** your name is blue cat. lol, that's awesome. Jarom is not gonna hang around, but he'll be back, he's gotta deliver the monsters he catches.

**firebunny89:** i hope this gives you more on Jarom, your opinion is always delightfully recieved.

**Jippers the Happy Squirrel:** lol, squirrel. Yay another Jarom!like! xD hee hee *hook line and sinker!*

**JtheChosen1:** Ganon suff'rin' will be in its own special place. don't worry, all will be explained as soon as i have a title for the one part. and thanks so much! xD

ANYWAY. review and you'll get love. again, I love to hear from ya'll outside of reviews so if ya have msn to chat with go right ahead and email me and tells me (there should be a link on my prof) love ya all so much! Hearts and loves and candy!


	33. Unity Under Pressure

**Disclaimer: Do not own Zelda...but i did get a review that made me wish i did :D**

**Warning: Fighteryness, goryness, barfingness annnnd creature death :D**

Do not fret, i hear your please in your reviews. I promise that the more reviews and better/longerish reviews i get, the faster i write. I adore feedback, especially guesses as to what happens next. I am currently working on chp 34. I hope this will satiate you, my darlings, until i get it up. Pleas blame writers block and college for slowness. That and my horrible obsession with harry potter things.

Anyway. More reviews urges me on. And I adore all the reviews i have gotten (several make me dance and squee with joy)

OH, and this chapter is for a particular three of my fans, perhaps four. 1: my saddened friend, whom i'd told i'd post thursday but i just couldn't wait 2: my newly pink haired friend :3 haha pink hair 3: that fantastic reviewer who likes my fiction better than the game and, of course 4: Especially my Beta girl~ Thank you so much for your responses!

AND to all the others I love because you review with love (and PM with it too) Loves!!!

AND enjoy :3

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Chapter 33: Unity Under Pressure**

Never before had I felt a compulsion like this. There was no hesitant moment of whether or not I should get out of bed and no moment between sleep and wakefulness. In seconds I was out of my cot and stumbling down the hall in the darkness to the bathroom. Nothing had ever been such pure instinct before in my life, driving me to my needs over the stone of the toilet. It seemed I had made it just in time, vomiting aggressively as I clung to the stove and did my best to ignore the smell of the filthy room.

The vomiting seemed to last forever, purging my stomach of the little food I had eaten yesterday. My body shook with the effort, even after there was nothing left but bile.

Finally I could pull away and sit back: closing the lid and flushing the pit trap with my foot on the petal because my arms were supporting me. There was a candle on the wall in a small wooden fixture and it lit the bathroom with a dull orange glow.

Besides the toilet, filthy and probably covered in diseases, there was a tall sink. It was the same stone color as the wall with a black pipe for a faucet and a black handle for a knob. There was no soap.

I felt dirty sitting on the floor, so I pulled myself upright with the sink and turned on the water. It was cool and somewhat refreshing as I washed out my mouth and splashed my face. Cool water came from the pipes only in the early predawn, telling me what time it was. By midday all water was hot water, and cold water was altogether a complete rarity.

Just as I pulled my self upright, face mouth and hands clean as they were going to get, I felt a wave of nausea. It pulled my stomach and weakened my knees. My vision swam as I clung to the sink, forcing myself to resist the urge to vomit because there was nothing left in me.

When my stomach settled again and my vision cleared, I was curled against the door, shivering. I coughed and rolled on my knees and hands. I got back up and out of the bathroom.

The hall torches were lit. I was no longer the only one awake. With one hand to the wall and the other on my stomach, I weakly returned to my room, taking small, short breaths to keep my stomach calm and my mind clear. Back in my room, I returned to my cot, lying tucked in the covers and half curled on my side.

Sleep would not come, as I lay with my eyes closed. My mind worried over what the vomiting would do to me, and consequently, the baby. The wolf was just as worried, if not more. Concerned but silent, he paced from side to side in my head, ears laid back on his head and tail low. Though the warrior said nothing, I could hear the worry in his thoughts. He sat quiet and stern, except for the tremble in his breath and the occasional rubbing of his hands on his legs.

He worried that the nutrients I had eaten and now had purged would starve the baby as well. He feared my illness could damage or even kill the child. He worried that my disinclination to eat that I felt now, was permanent and I could starve myself and the child to death. I tried to alleviate our worry, telling myself and them that it the vomiting must have been some sort of mysterious part of pregnancy no one had told me about…like they hadn't told me I would be pregnant in the first place.

Because of our worry and fear, I could not return to sleep. However it would have been interrupted anyway by Yutella when she knocked and called, "Link! I'm coming in!"

She was holding a try in hand, and was smiling as she came in, brining a candle light on the tray. "I didn't see you at breakfast so I've come to bring it to you. You need to eat to keep your strength up."

I groaned and covered my nose to block out the smell of food. _I can't eat Yutella, I'm nauseas and I've already thrown up today._

She looked surprised, "You have? That's unusual."

I felt my heart sink, then this wasn't a pregnancy thing…I _was_ ill….

She must have seen my expression change because she put the tray down on the stool and rushed to sit beside me on the bed. She took my hands in hers and soothingly rubbed them. "No, no Link, you're not ill. It's unusual because you only conceived five or six days ago. Normally it takes a few weeks before morning sickness sets in. Typically these effects aren't felt this quickly."

_Oh…_ I felt silly for all of my worrying, and looked down at my hands. My cheeks were dark red from embarrassment that the wolf, warrior and I shared. She was still holding my hands, her thumbs rubbing my knuckles. Against my too pale hands, still strange to see them without gloves, her brown fingers were even darker, especially in the dim light of the single candle she had brought.

"But there's nothing to worry about. You should be fine and since the morning sickness came early, it will probably go early."

I sighed in relief. _I still can't eat right now, the thought makes me sick._ I stuck out my tongue.

She chuckled, "I understand." She stood and nodded, "You should be able to eat again in a few hours. We'll just make sure you eat a lot then and a little at dinner so you keep your strength." She took up the tray and gave me a friendly smile, "I'll come back in a while to check on you."

I smiled back, _thank you. You help me so much. I don't know what I would do without you._

Yutella blinked and looked away, "Well I swore a duty to protect you…and you are my friend. It is important to me that you are taken care of during your pregnancy." She cleared her throat and then turned completely away. "Rest Link, while it is till easy to do so."

She left, closing the door quietly behind her as I lay back on my cot and rested as though I had not thrown up just a few hours earlier.

**

Yutella was scowling as she knelt at my side and tightened the small bits of leather armor Averyn deemed my fighting uniform. "I don't like this at all."

_Well of course you don't, and frankly neither do I, but I'd rather do this than be put into hard labor or be outright killed,_ I replied with a sigh. I shifted the waistband of my pants, displeased with how they hung so low from my hips.

She sighed and stood, looking me over, "Did you eat today?"

I nodded. Today's morning sickness, though terrible, had not been nearly as horrible as yesterday. That was probably due to understand and expecting itd. _I am fine, and ready for anything he could possibly make me to fight._

She gave me a wry smile, shaking her head a little, "Okay, I believe you." She put her hands on her hips, grinning, "At least you get to wear more armor than I do." I laughed at that.

"Link!" The voice was a familiar one.

I turned my ead to see Jarom trotting up to me. "I have your weapons. Averyn's decided that if you will fight, it will be a good battle, and not with the terrible weaponry you had before."

I nodded in understanding, _That blade nearly broke at least twice._

Jarom nodded his head. "It was weak, poorly made stee. This, however," he tapped the package he held, "is far from that blade." He held it out to me, "Here, these are your new weapons."

I took the package form Jarom and pulled back the leather wrapping. I gasped and looked up, _Where did you get this?_

"Would you believe it was in the back of the armory inside a barrel?" Jarom chuckled, "I found it purely by luck when I was looking for a suitable weapon for you. Compared to this, everything else is pieces of wood."

I gripped the hilt and pulled the sword from the leather wrapping. I was speechless. Yutella was not.

"This was in a barrel!?" She gasped, "A BARREL!?" She grabbed Jarom and shook him, exclaiming again, "A BARREL!"

I turned to the side, away from the two of them, and pulled the sword from the black and silver sheath in one clean move. I flicked my wrist and the blade sang as it sliced through the air and straightened out. The hilt was black leather and with a perfectly round cut lapis lazuli embedded in the gold end. The blade itself looked like mercury: the silver sharp and hard, but so fluid in the way the light flickered off of it and how it behaved when I swung it through the air. It was lighter than the master sword, even though it had the same cut, and it felt better in my grip than the master sword had. It was more familiar, more readily a part of my body.

Yutella was watching me test the sword with wide eyes, one hand over her heart and the other over her mouth. I finally looked to her, asking, _What is it?_

"That blade…is legendary. I've never… I cannot believe it would be found in a place like this…" Yutella's eyes were fixated on the blade.

I turned and held it tip down, showing it to her; _You know something about this sword?_

She nodded. "The Goddess Kym has a blade opposite of this one. It is with a golden hilt and a black stone in as the counter weight. The blade is made of sunlight and fire. The legend says that she had two swords made, one of sun and fire and then one of moon and water. The two blades she gave to two heroes, but one took the fire and became a tyrant and the one with the moon blade was slain and the moon blade was lost. The Goddess took the sun blade for herself and left the moon blade in the world, for her Hero to receive and use." As she spoke, Jarom eyes as well as hers left the blade and looked to me, wide with shock.

I gave them both a little smile, _I have always been the hero and I always will be the hero. Whether it is the hero of time or the desert hero, it is who I am._ I turned and flicked the blade out and then sheathed it. _What is in the other package, Jarom?_

It took a moment for him to respond. He handed over the second leather wrapped item. I pulled off the cover and discovered a shield below. The face of the shield easily reflected my face except for one inch around, which was a dark red and etched with runes. I held out my right arm and he strapped it on. The shield was rather heavy, but felt very solid. I nodded with a little smile. _It feels…familiar somehow._ I pulled the sword from the sheath again and Yutella took it before it got in my way.

I glanced to Yutella, but she was just beaming, "You look like a true hero, Master Link."

I glanced down at the thin tan breeches I wore, the heavy leather guards on my forearms, shoulders and shins, and the worn sandals strapped to my feet. The warrior snorted in my head, **This is not what a hero looks like…**

I rolled my eyes at him, _It isn't all bad. It's not like we had much more clothing on during our adventures in Hyrule._

**I cannot believe we gave that up…**he muttered, **I feel more secure and strong, armed like this. I feel protected…eve if our armor is inadequate.**

I shivered, _The danger is…_

**The danger is them attacking us. With this sword we can fight. With this shield we can defend. We can protect our child better now than we were able to before…**

"Link?" Yutella's voice was troubled and urgent, "Link?"

I blinked and looked up, _Yes? What is it?_

"Are you okay?" She cautiously reached out and put her hand on my shoulder.

_Of course. Why?_

"Well because…" She hesitated. I glanced to Jarom. The two of them had this strange, worried look. "I called your name sever times. You didn't answer."

_Yes I did._

She was about to continue when a messenger raced over from down the tunnel. "Are you ready? You've been summoned," he spoke to me, ignoring the others.

I nodded. I flexed my grip on the Hilt and rolled the shoulder of my shield arm. He gestured for me to follow as he turned to go down the tunnel.

As we walked towards the gate, the roar of the audience grew louder. The messenger went to the gate and pulled the rope. The metal gate pulled up slowly, groaning as the chains lifted the heavy metal. I ducked under the spiked bottom and then walked out to the sandy stadium.

I went towards the center of the coliseum, the sand crunching under my feet. The roar of the crowd was deafening, but it was also completely unintelligible. I made no effort to try and decipher the different shouts. One change from the previous battle to this one was the banners and flags waving in the air. There were not many, but enough for them to catch my eye as I looked over the audience. However none of the flags were close enough to read.

The noise softened and I glanced up to the awning, looking to Averyn as he stood with his hands up. "The beast today is a wild, winged creature, and will test your skills, Link! Can you defeat these monsters?" He raised his goblet and the creature gate opened.

Four strong tall men brought out a pair of winged horses, one white and one red. The wings were large and flapped and stretched as soon as the horses caught sight of the sky. There eyes were large and on the front of their head like a predator. The wolf used my deep breath to smell the creatures. **The white one is a male and the red is a female. I would find it unlikely if they were not mates.**

And then the red one screamed, and I saw the long fangs and sharp, canine teeth. The men cut the horses loose and raced back to the gate. The red one reared up, pivoted on her hind hooves and raced after the men. She narrowly missed the forth man as the gate came slamming down. A chill ran through me as she turned back around, eyeing me with eyes as black as coal, as did the male. She screamed. I shivered, seeing a mouth that was not befitting a horse. It dropped open like a carnivores', long and wide. There were long fangs, yellowed and red at the base. As she bellowed, saliva slid down her gums and dripped to the sand.

The white one immediately lunged into the air, its forelegs pawing the air. That was when I saw the second danger of the creature. Where the fore hooves should have been there were huge claws, dragon sized claws.

The red one spread her wings, flinging them behind her in a warning. Her flight feathers had been clipped. She was grounded.

"Well?" Averyn shouted, "Can you defeat them?"

I nodded my head curtly, once. The crowd exploded in cheers. I slid into my stance, shield up ad sword at the ready.

The white stallion circled around overhead, calling to his mate. Each time the female screeched, the wolf inside of me recoiled, ears back and growling.

**These are no normal creatures. They are not an accident of birth. **The wolf snarled, but there was a tremor of fear in him. **These beings were created by a mage, and they are monsters, demon carrying monsters.**

I nodded slightly to him. _ I will take care in this battle._

_**I am ready.**_ The warrior's strength flooded my limbs and the wolf took a deep breath. _**Now.**_

As one, we raced forward, sand flying out from under my feet and the deafening noise of the crowd was forcibly shunted from my mind by the warrior. The mare snorted and recoiled as I swung my sword out. She reared up, punching out her claws as she beat her wings. Sand flew up, and I had to ring up my shield to protect my eyes. The beast's claws scratched down my arm dragging down my shield.

I used the forced opening to bring my sword up and split open the mare's shoulder down to the bone.

She shrieked and turned, buffeting me back with her wing. I t hit the back of my head and my sword, shredding several of her feathers as we fell apart. She spun around, her foreleg limping and feather bits fluttering down to the sand with a spray of blood.

The bellow from above brought me spinning around shield up, just in time for the stallion to rake his claws down over the metal. I twisted the sword away from pointing at the mare long enough to slices across the talons. Sparks flew from where my sword rand over the metal based claws.

**Abomination!** The wolf cried.

The fanged mouth came arching down, gaping wide and the beast's drool sliding down the yellowed teeth. I smelled the breath first, a dizzying wave of hot air, scented like decaying meat and nausea swept over me, threatening to make me crumble. I struggled to push down the urge to purge and blinked rapidly to clear the black spots from my vision.

The creature took my moment of weakness and gripped the shield in his large metal talons. Heavy sweeps of his wings tossed handfuls of sand and dirt into my face. I ducked behind my shield and squeezed my eyes shut.

The winged horse took to the air, dragging me with it. My grip on the shield was my only way to keep from plummeting.

The screams of the crows grew louder and louder, the higher I rose. I hung by my right arm, twisted up in the leather of the shield straps, and my other arm and sword dangling. I spat sand grit from my mouth and tried to turn, to see what was happening.

The crowd's faces were turned up towards me, some pointing and many shouting. I looked up as well, realizing that the faces weren't getting smaller and saw that the beast could not rise any higher. Each time it arched up, striving to rise higher, a threading of golden orange nets would light up like a net hung in the middle of the air.

The horse looped in a circle, calling down to his mate. I glanced down for a moment, and sawn the wounded mare rear up, screeching in answer.

The stallion released my shield suddenly, and I began to fall, sailing towards the ground. The whistle of wind blew away every sound but the pound of my heart. I forced myself to turn mid air, shouldering my shield and clasping the hilt of my powerful blade with two hands. I knelt around my weapon and waited for the fatal impact.

It had been a long time since I had killed anything and even longer since I had pinned it down and killed it with a finishing blow through the spine and just between her arching wings. I instantly recognized the crunch of bone and gushing of blood. The mare gave a strangled cry that teetered down to a garbled wail as my blade pierced through her spine, slicing the organs underneath that as well. I severed bone from muscle from organs. Her wings, at first, beat furiously and then shuddered and shook violently before they fell to either side of her body uselessly. Her back half sank to the ground, utterly useless with the back bone shattered.

My weight, collapsed against her and combined with the brutal thrust of my sword, brought her down with a heavy thud of my landing on her body and sharp crack of metal shattering bone. She uttered a weak, pained cry and then her head flopped over with her mouth hanging open. Blood soaked through the sand beneath her and stained my legs from where I knelt on either side of her mangled body. I took deep breaths through my mouth, desperate not to smell in the scent of her death and blood for fear I would loose my control on my weakened stomach.

I stood, pulled my sword out and staggered back from her body. My limbs shook, the shimmering metal dripped blood and I felt a glistening sweat over my body from exertion. My mind, however, was as clear as the cloudless sky and I was able to keep my stomach still even with the corpse before me.

I heard a wail from above that alerted me to the otherwise silent dive of the stallion. He arched towards me fangs and talons out, eyes red with rage and roaring.

I barely got my shield up as he collided with me. The force knocked me flying backwards. Sand shifted under foot and he continued his furious attack, his hind feat barely touching the ground.

He backed me to a wall, cornering me with wings and talons. Each swipe of his talons I blocked with my shield, giving ground as he pushed on. The clang of metal on metal was beginning to numb my arm as he battered my shield.

Finally I could not hold it up any longer and I arched my blade out, swiping blindly. The sharp edge cut through flesh and bone like a hot knife through honey. It took a while for me to get my blade across, but it was thorough.

Blood sprayed out at me from the wound, gushing like a geyser and covering me from head to foot, as well as the wall behind me.

The stallion's body fell to my left and the head to my right.

I spat and coughed and spat up more blood that was not mine. The crowd's roar had returned, screaming and pounding as they jumped and clapped and cheered wildly.

Fanfare began as the gates opened up and the cleaners came for the bodies. I looked up to the awning in the crowd and met Averyn's gaze. The man stared, scowling. When he met my gaze he turned away and drained his goblet. Staggering I made my way out of the sandy circle and into the cool dark tunnel.

Yutella rushed up to me, ready with a cloth to wipe my face clean. "Link, are you hurt at all?"

I shook my head, my wet hair flapping against my skull. _ My arm is numb, but that is all._ The scent of blood was everywhere, I could taste it and smell it and feel it… I braced myself for vomiting. Nothing happened.

Yutella paused in her wiping as I let out a heavy sigh of relief. "Link?"

_Nothing…I'm just glad it's over for now._ I bowed my head and closed my eyes, letting Yutella take care of me as I relaxed.

**Born in blood… a shower of blood.**

I nodded slightly, vaguely understanding him. I felt a brief wave of panic as I searched my mind for the presence of the warrior. _Where is the warrior?_

**Don't be ignorant, child**, the wolf scolded, **You and the warrior are one.**

I opened my eyes and stared at the wall. It was true. I knew it was true. I could feel it in my bones. I did not fear that truth.

Gripping my sword hilt and shield, I knew it was truth. I was the warrior and I was the simple rancher. I was powerful and I was courageous. I was reborn.

**TBC**


	34. Man of the People

Disclaimer: No. Zelda stuff is not mine. I get nothing but pleasure from writing this and getting repleies. :I

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Sorry It's been so long. Some crazy shizz been's happening. (Basically all my electronics but TV and Gamecube have died.) I'm chipping away at these next few chapters though. So posts will be a bit more frequent for a while. :I Have fun reading.

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**Chapter 34: Man of the People**

"How the hell did you get blood here?" Yutella muttered as she was scrubbing my head. The soap was dripping down my face and my neck. He had pushed my ears forward and tsked, seeing the crusting blood behind my ears.

I shrugged with one shoulder, smiling a little. This water was warm and soapy now, and a strange ruddy color. I splashed my hand in it, and Yutella flicked my ear, "Don't splash, this water is dirty…" She went back to scrubbing, muttering, "Honestly, how can you still act like such a child?"

I wiped soap from my forehead, so it didn't get in my eyes, and shrugged again.

"Okay, lay back…" she pulled away. I lay back, closing my eyes slightly and submerging my scalp under water. Her long fingers ran thorough my hair, scrubbing out the water. "We're going to have to change the water _again_ to rinse you off."

I grinned up at her, _This is fun. We should bathe like this more often._ She rolled her eyes and flicked my ear again, it didn't hurt much.

She was pretty, Yutella, with her short red hair and bright eyes. She was naked as well, her shoulders out of the water, but glisteningly wet. Her torso was half out of the water, revealing her breasts, but she was superbly not bothered by this, which made me wonder if the women of Gerudo bathed together…

"Sit up." she commanded and I obeyed. She sank down into the water, reaching for the plug. She pulled it and the water began to drain. "We'll just shower to rinse." She said, standing and reaching for the cord hanging above the tub that was attached to a pipe. She pulled the cord and the opening of the pipe swung down, pouring hot water down. She looped the cord around a notch in the wooden tub and pulled me to my feet. "You first, Link."

I nodded and stepped under the waterfall. I was immediately doused in water, hot, hot water. I yelped and jumped back out. Yutella sighed, "That will have to do…" she stepped under the water and I was amazed to see her turn her face up into the water and then turn her back to it, letting the steaming water thoroughly run over her body. She reached from the water to the cord, loosed it and it snapped back into place. She shook her hair, then grabbed it into a ponytail and twisted it to make the water drip out. She was pretty, but not as pretty as Era. I smiled at her.

"What are you smiling at?" She cocked her eyebrow as she climbed out of the wooden tub.

_You are a pretty woman,_ I replied, leaning over the side. _And you're the only other woman I've seen naked._

She paused, the towel she'd gathered up halfway around her hips, "What other girl did you see naked? That insane little white girl?"

_Not Ilia, _I shook my head, _I meant Era._

She looked even more surprised, wrapping the towel around herself tightly and then handing me the other, "When did you see Era naked?"

I took the towel and began to dry myself off, _The day before I …danced with Ganondorf. She met me in the cave below the plateau. She showed me her body and what Ganondorf was to do to me. _I shivered a little, hesitating, _If it had been anything more like what she and I had done, I would not have run away…_

She reached out and put her hand on my arm and looked at me with a serious expression, "You mean…you had sex with Era, the high Priestess of the Goddess, Ganon's _sister_, while you had been on fertility potions?"

I nodded. She backed away, laughing. She laughed so hard her eyes began to water and she was doubled over. She laughed so hard that her shoulders shook in silence and she had to stop, gasping for breath. "Oh my… the Goddess, She has quite a sense of humor!" She wiped her eyes, "Ganon knows nothing of this, of course?"

I nodded again, her reaction was bizarre. _We did not…talk much. And I wouldn't have known how to bring it up anyway…_

"Of course not! It's not like you could have gone up to him and said you got his sister pregnant!" She laughed brightly, wrapping her hair in a towel.

_I didn't get her pregnant!_ I replied, indignant and flushing, _I was the one who got pregnant!_

"What kind of education did you get!" She shook her head and sighed, rubbing her temples, "You were undergoing the fertility treatment not because Ganondorf could not father a child without the help of the Goddess, but because you, being a man, cannot carry a child without the help of the Goddess. It is the same ritual that occurs, with some slight differences, when two women of our tribe desire to have a child, and must occur every hundred years to bring about the king of our people. The law of our people states that the king must be of Gerudo blood, and only Gerudo blood. That is why it is acceptable to have sex with outsiders, like I have, and still be Gerudo. If I were pregnant I would not have a son because Ganon is still alive."

_Then…I could not have a son? Just a girl?_ I wondered, touching my still flat belly. I also wondered when I would grow, to make room for the child…

She nodded. "He should realize that too, and not have tried to have a son, even though he was provided with a potion that could predetermine the gender of his child."

_He did what!_

She sighed, "Get out of the tub and let's get dressed, you have a lot that needs to be explained to you, apparently."

I climbed out and dried myself off, still wondering. Had he only taken the potion to make a boy? Would the child die within me, if it were a boy? Why couldn't there be more than one Gerudo boy?

I dressed in my new soft, tan tunic and strapped on the belt before tugging on some light short pants. Yutella pulled on a similar, but longer sleeveless tunic and wore a belt as well. We both put on sandals and then she nodded approving us. "Let's get some food and we'll talk more, okay?"

I nodded and took her hand. She smiled and walked with me. In the hallway we passed a few of the other soldiers, they sneered and grumbled as they passed, but said nothing. In fact, nothing much had been said between the other fighters and me, since I had removed that one man's lip. I still saw him, from time to time, glaring at me with a gash where his lip should be and all his front bottom teeth showing.

We got some bread and bowls of meal and a little meat before returning to Yutella's room to talk. Being a female warrior, she had a slightly better room than mine. It had two candles and a window, because a woman needs the light? I didn't understand the logic, but really didn't need to.

We sat, her by the head of the bed and me at the foot, both leaning against the wall, except I faced out into the room and she faced me.

"The Gerudo were banished to the desert as a people, male and female, but a great war, in the beginning of our two countries history eradicated all the men."

_What war? Hyrule has always been a country in peace. There has been no war._

"What kind of history have you been taught?" she muttered, shaking her head, "Have you no education?"

I flushed, _There isn't much to the history of Hyrule…once you get past the Goddesses descending, creating the world and leaving behind the triforce as they leave. There has never been a war…technically I don't think we recognize the Gerudo desert as anything more than barren sand dunes. _

"Pompous Hyrulians…" she muttered with a scowl. She ate a few bites and then said, "Let me see if I can explain this easily, through the origin story of my people, is that okay?"

I nodded, watching her curiously. _Yes, I'd like to know more._

She took a few more bites and cleared her throat before speaking. "Before life began, before the world had form, four golden goddesses descended upon the chaotic land of Hyrule. They were Din, the Goddess of Power, Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, Farore, the Goddess of Courage and Kym, the Goddess of Will.

"Din, with her strong flaming arms, cultivated the land to create the earth. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth to give the spirit of law to the world. Farore's rich soul created all life forms who would uphold the law. Kym looked upon the obedient life forms and gave them the intelligence to grow and the agency to choose their own destinies.

"They remained for a short time, to admire Their work, seeing that all things would be good. Nayru, Din and Farore blessed a person of Their own decision to carry on the traits of Their Wisdom, Power and Courage. Kym chose one that she not only blessed with Her traits but blessed with the ability to commune with the Goddess Herself. She wished to partake and aid in the lives that She created.

"But the other Three Goddesses were furious that Goddess Kym had decided on Her own, to go against the plan They had made together. They tried to force Kym to leave with Them, to watch from far away, but Kym refused to leave Her priestess. Instead, the other Three Golden Goddesses combined their power and ripped Kym and Her people out of Hyrule, banishing them to the sandy wastes of the desert. To spite them, Kym stole Din's chosen and placed him as Her people's king. Din tried to get him to leave, but because Kym had given them free will, he refused to give up the power of Kingship. However, he was always jealous of the lands that the Queen of Hyrule, that the Wisdom line, always had.

"He ended up bitter and angry and jealous. Passing on this hatred for Hyrule to his six sons, they prepared for battle and with an army of six thousand at their back, invaded Hyrule.

"Once the sons and their army entered the kingdom, Din rose up the mountains to seal them in all around. Nayru lifted the waters from the ground and filled the valley that Din created, making a lake and Farore created the lives of the sea creatures to kill those that swam. All six thousand men and six princes died in the lake. The Golden Goddesses, in their anger, sent a curse to Kym's people, causing the king to weaken unto death and preventing the birth of another royal son for three generations, or roughly 100 years.

"The priestess of Kym wept for her brothers and her father, she poured out her heart to Kym, along with all the others under Her care. Fueled by their cries and by Her own need for vengeance for her people, Kym created a realm of darkness and flung it over Hyrule.

"The Queen of Hyrule, who held the Wisdom and her consort, the Champion of Hyrule who held the Courage, used their magic and skill to weave Her darkness into a mirror of Twilight which they used as a dungeon.

"Seeing this creation of Kym, the Golden Goddesses cursed her as the Shadow Goddess and ripped Her Golden status away. Weakened as She was, Her people became defenseless and the other Goddesses began to gather them up and place them in the Realm of Twilight. However, they overlooked Her priestess, the Princess of the Gerudo. She rose up with a great knowledge of the Arcane and built a barrier in the land itself. She made the barren desert belong to Kym, sapping the power from the other three. They left, with only half of the Gerudo trapped in the Realm of Twilight, and returned to Hyrule.

"With Kym not part of Their collection, and cursed and banished as She was, They rose to the Heavens and left Her behind. They also left behind the golden sacred Triforce, a powerful artifact you know about already, Link. Ever since that day, however, Kym has dwelt in the desert with Her people, taking Her cursed status as a brand of power and using it to become stronger. She created rituals and sources of power that her people may thrive, no matter what of them is left behind from the harshness of the desert."

I stared at Yutella, my food forgotten. _That is…Lake Hylia was made to kill? _

Yutella nodded. "The history of a land sometimes seems so bloody and desolate, when you only talk of the wars and deaths that occurred there."

I nodded back, hunkering down into my food. I ate quietly, thinking about the history. I had always thought that the Goddesses had come down, created the world and then left again; simply leaving the triforce behind…could this be true? Was it? It had to be… I had been with the Gerudo, seen the face of Kym in statue and heard her voice…

Finally I looked up, _What if I am carrying a boychild? Will it die within me? Can the Goddesses be so callous as to destroy this innocent child?_

"I do not know if they around anymore, as Kym still is. Perhaps the boychild will simply be turned into a girl…or maybe he will be still born…"

Tears sprang to my eyes and I had to look away. To go through all of this with a dead child at the end was too terrible a fate to think of.

There was a shuffling of cloth and then Yutella was at my side, putting her arm around me, "Don't worry. You are blessed by the Goddess; She will protect you as best as She can."

_Then…then where do the many men here come from? There are too many of them to be born once every hundred years…_

"Well, over time, people left Hyrule or were exiled for some reason or another. Kym welcomed all, and since they were not the descendents of the Gerudo, they could have children of either gender. So they populated, but worshiped Kym, and as they grew so did Her power." She leaned back against the wall, speaking idly as she scraped up the last of her food from the dish, "However, since I am not Her priestess, I'm not sure what She has planned for your future…"

I paused, thinking about that, about my future…With a little smile I looked at her, _But it's as you said She will protect me as best as She can. I can only hope that one day I will not be governed by things I cannot control._

Yutella chuckled, "One day, Link, one day."

There was a knock at the door and then it was pushed open. There was a guard standing there, in hard leather armor with a helmet and a spear, "Lady Warrior, you are to go to battle now."

Yutella sighed and held out her dishes to me, "Take care of these. I will be back later…" She slid off the bed and dressed in her thin chainmail armor. She grabbed up her swords and nodded to me, "Don't get in trouble while I'm gone!" She smirked, following the guard out.

I sat with our dishes, alone in her small room. There was a lot on my mind, and a lot I had to work through.

* * *

"Here we are again…" Yutella murmured, standing in the shadowed hallway outside the entrance to the coliseum. I held my sword and shield at the ready and already wore my leather armor.

_I am not worried._ I smiled and brushed my hair out of my eyes. _I only was sick a little today. I am strong and not hampered by the child._

She chuckled and shook her head, "I'm so glad. But I am still concerned. I heard talk that the monster you face today is a huge beast."

I laughed and nodded, _I have fought monsters many times my size before, and I will probably fight more after this one. I promise to return, I won't let myself die on your watch._

She grinned, "Thanks for that. I don't know what I would do." She kissed me lightly on the cheek, "Go kill the beast, Hero."

I nodded and turned, as the doors opened and sunlight poured into the darkness. I blinked rapidly and headed out into the arena. The roar of the crowd was not so striking to me this time, and, with a calmer head, I looked out over them. They had banners, shimmering in the sunlight, and they waved them with such vigor. One of the larger ones, closer to the front rows, clearly showed a crude picture of my face with some unfamiliar scrawling on it. The people clamored to their feet, raising their arms and shouting, cheering for me.

It was…a little odd to be cheered on by these people, the ones who found it amusing to see me sprayed in blood. I let out my breath and turned to face the canopy where Averyn sat. He smirked and waved his hand, trumpets sounded and he stood, holding up his hand for silence.

"You impressed us all with your feats, when you fought the winged demons last time, Fair Hair. But they were two simple beasts, two normal sized creatures…" he laughed, "And this time…this beast is greater than them both!" He clapped his hands and there was a great rumbling. The sand under my feet began to shake and shiver and then bulge in the middle of the arena. "See if you can defeat Colossus!"

There was a roar that came from the ground, the mound of sand in the middle grew and grew until a ring of squirming feelers pushed through the sand and out rose a huge worm. The mouth itself was two times longer than I was tall. It squealed, rounding about towards me, the feelers writhing in the air. I grimaced as the mouth opened revealing rows of long teeth that shown with saliva. I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that this thing was going to try and eat me…alive.

I centered on the beast, putting my shield up and hold my sword up, easing into a defensive stance. I backed away as it slid through the sand, circling and bringing more of its body to the surface while the dripping mouth never wavered from pointing towards me.

Suddenly it reared back and then lunged. I flipped back, slipped a little on my landing and then jumped back until I was nearly against the wall. A pair of feelers grabbed my shield and I sliced them off. Greenish blood squirted from the cut ends and it screeched right in my face.

I ran off to the right and it followed, tentacles reaching for me and teeth protruding. I skidded to the side as I ran into a huge problem. The worm's body was now in front of me, and in fact circled the whole arena wall, leaving me only one exit. I ran towards the center, feeling fairly like a goat being herded to the barn. The worm rose its head up, closing the circle with its long body.

I ran towards one section and leapt. I stabbed my black blade deep into the smooth, milky pink skin and clamored up as more blood oozed out. It made that screeching sound again and lunged for me. I got my balance on the top off it, pulled out my sword and ducked to the side just as the mouth came down. I climbed back to my feet and then ran up the back, running towards the head. The crowd was this constant screaming all around me, shouting and cheering and waving their flags as I ran past. I'm fairly certain I heard some woman scream that she loved me.

As I got closer to the head, it suddenly angled too sharply upwards for me to run. The thing had lifted its head again and had found me.

To my utter shock, little pink forms slid out of its mouth, slid to the sand and uncurled to reveal slimy little baby worms. _Not good, not good, not good!_ I scrambled back to a flatter part of the back, to regain my footing. More of the little wormlings dropped from the creature's mouth, uncurling on the sand and coming towards me with long probing tentacles. They slid up the sides of the worm and I hacked them in half easily from my vantage point. Ones that got too close I could hold off with my sword before slicing them to little bits. Green blood and slime splattered all over as I cut and stabbed.

As I shoved my blade into one of the creatures, I noticed the shadow around me. I glanced up from the creature, my gaze resting on the crowd for half a second. They were pointing above my head and screaming "LOOK UP!"

I did. _Oh…Fu-_ Then the mouth descended and swallowed me whole.

I struggled for breath, surrounded everywhere by slime and movement, the movement of an enormous living creature…that I was _inside of._

I was pressed upon from all sides, being pulled down further and further, head first. Yes, my weapon was out, but I could barely move enough to breathe any scrap of air. I began to panic, fear over taking my thoughts as I struggled for air and to see in the pitch blackness.

All around me I could hear the throb of the monster's heart and blood pounding through the body and farther down in the darkness I could hear something I could only assume was churning bodies.

As I was pushed through a valve I was turned by the force and landed back down in a small chamber inside the worm. There was a small pocket of air here, which I couldn't even begin to describe the smell of, and I could just _feel_ something squirming around behind me.

I moved, shifting to my knees and then pushing myself up to my feet. I gagged a little and then swallowed down my urge to vomit. I took a deep calming breath, regretted it almost a moment later, and wished I had my lantern.

As if responding to my wish, a faint luminescent glow came from the walls. There were little spherical bubbles attached to the wall that glowed slightly. What they revealed horrified me.

The few little squirming worms that had dropped from the monster's mouth were held here, in this little sack like compartment, all curled together like frog eggs, squirming and wriggling inside nearly translucent membranes. I backed away slowly, feeling for the wall behind me, but instead ran into more of the sacks. In fact, they lined nearly every inch of this area, except for where I had landed when deposited here. My heart leapt to my throat, pounding hard as I backed back into my original spot. Yet it was too late to leave without disturbing any wormling. The ones I had touched wiggled wildly into life and burst from their egg sacks, heading towards me quickly.

I hefted my sword, slicing and holding them back as best I could, but they were everywhere, and on this living, slick tissue I had the worst footing. I slipped to one knee and then they were on me.

The slick, probing little creatures soaked my armor, skin and hair, weighing me down and holding me there. Their probing feelers ran over my skin like sticky hands, pushing and forcing their way past any barrier, be it cloth or flesh. I yelped as I felt the fleshy bits circle my arms and legs, holding me down with a single-mindedness that frightened me. As my body was more and more explored, I had a terrible sinking feeling…it was like the dancing night, when Ganon had spread that oil on my body…

Heart pounding I wrenched my arm up, pulling away and slicing the tentacles that held me down. I refused to succumb! I cut and slashed until each little wormling was a torn up mass of bleeding green goop.

Alone in the room, I knew I had to escape, lest this creature bury itself and I become trapped forever. I caught my breath for a moment, one hand resting against the wall. That was when I noticed something. The heart beat, solid, loud and all around me…it was louder here to my side. As if…the heart was right there, working away steadily…

It couldn't have been any clearer what to do than if someone had scrawled "stab here" on fleshy wall. I lifted the black blade and plunged it through. Blood spurted from around my blade and I could hear the scream as well as feel it through the body.

I took two hands to the hilt and pulled it up in an arc. I closed my eyes as I cut up above myself and then to my other side, opening up the worm from the inside. I could feel the spasms of the body as I climbed out into the sunlight, green and sticky. Once outside I plunged my sword back in and dropped down to the side of the worm, cutting nearly all the way through its body. It began to writhe and I leapt from the back of the worm onto the wall before the crowd.

I stood on the stone there as the creature's spasms tore it into two parts, blood seeping into the sand everywhere. I panted softly, grateful for the clear desert air. As the monster stilled and its magic seeped away, leaving a graying, but pinkish corpse, the crowd clapped and cheered for me, shouting the name that Averyn had given me, "Fair Hair! Fair Hair! Fair Hair!"

I looked over to the canopy, where Averyn sat with a goblet in his hands. He gave me the smallest smile and a nod. I looked back at the crowd and then slowly jumped down from the wall. I landed on the stained sand and walked back to the door they opened for me. I hoped my next battle would not end with me covered in blood and slime, again.

Yutella was in tears when she saw me, and threw her arms around me, "Oh thank the Goddess…" she breathed.

I patted her back, _I really want to bathe now._

She smiled and laughed weakly, "Yes, yes, of course." As we walked from the arena where they still chanted my nick name, we passed some of the other fighters. They glared in silence and I glared back. My heart still pounded from this last battle, and I knew I could take them…after all, I had killed a worm from the inside, and slain flying demon horses and was the golden Hero of two countries. I could take on the world.

* * *

They approached me when Yutella was in her battle. I was practicing my stances, using a weighted wooden shield and sword, alone in a corner of the practicing area, when one walked up, slowly, unsurely. I turned to face him, slowly, barely lowering my sword. I waited, silent as always.

He looked at me and then over his shoulder before saying, "I misjudged you, before, based on your…almost ridiculous size, Fair Hair. You are quite an amazing fighter…even if you are incredibly skinny."

I blinked a little and nodded, _I…thank you._

He nodded, "Some of the others…they do not feel as I do, they do not respect you."

_I know._ I glanced away from him, to some of the others training. _But I do not need nor require them to._ I looked back to him, hardening my stare, _I do just fine, with myself and Yutella._

"Er…she's partly the reason why they do not like you…" the man cleared his throat, "You may have noticed she is the only woman here." He rubbed the back of his neck, "And before you showed up, she paid a little bit of attention to the other fighters. She would train with us and talk with us…But now she spends all her time with you. Since you're small, like you are, even if you are a great fighter, the others blame you for taking away their only female companionship."

_Our relationship predates the coliseum and isn't much more than friendship,_ I retorted, _her interest is not in me and mine is not in her. They have no more chance with her than the desert has a chance to turn into a forest._

"Perhaps, but I just wished to tell you. They don't care about you, they just want her, and the longer she ignores them, the more violent they will become." He insisted, "I wanted to warn you."

I slowly nodded, _no matter what they decide, I will be fine._

He looked a little uncertain. "All right…good luck..." he walked away with one backwards glance before he left the training area.

I looked out over the others and then went back to my training, whatever was sent at me next, I had to be ready for it…

* * *

When Yutella was finally finished with her battle, it was after dinner. I was waiting for her, with a little food and worry. She came through the door and walked over to me and sat down. I handed her the food with a smile, _You ok?_

She nodded, brushing wet hair from her eyes, "Yeah, just starving. It was a long battle…"

_What did you fight?_

"Redeads," she muttered, "and after that mummies and then as if that weren't enough, they released these magically encased suits of armor. The longest battle of my life…" She leaned her head on my shoulder.

I put my arm around my friend, patting her shoulder in understanding. _Am glad you made it out unharmed._

"Barely…" she shook her head a little, chomping down on a wrapping of bread. She dug into her meal with gusto.

_I wish I was able to wait in the hall like you do for me…_

"Well, to the guards you're just another male warrior here, where I get special privileges being a female fighter." She spoke around mouthfuls. "Like, compare our rooms, and I can go anywhere in here I want and I don't go into the main battles where they have the rest of the warriors reenact battles on a large scale."

_I don't have to participate in those either though, is that because of you?_

She paused as she ate and then took a slow bite, chewed and swallowed before saying, "I think that's actually because of Averyn and his animosity towards you….in a large group battle the other men would not stand a chance, I would do all I can to protect you. Whereas against vile monsters, they are very expendable and make a good show."

_But we are not expendable? He sounded as though he wanted me dead, _I worried the hem of my tunic a little.

She chuckled "He may, but did you hear the crowd chant for you? Whether or not he likes it, the citizens adore you, you are there warrior of choice."

I blushed,_ I have never had anyone cheer so in a battle._

"They're fickle fools- the lot of them." Snarled one of the large men in the room. I started a little. It was easy for me to fade out anyone else in the room when I was concentrating on another in conversation. I blinked and watched as this tall, scarred and large muscled man stepped out from the relatively silent onlookers and came toward me and Yutella. He had small black eyes and long black hair that hung down around his face and pooled onto his shoulders. His body was like Ganon, and that comparison made the wolf's hackles rise. It was obvious he had spent a lot of time in the sun, from the tanned, leathery appearance from his skin. He was not like the other men here, nor was he like any relation to Yutella's very dark skinned people. He walked with strength and pride and looked at me as if I had personally offended his dignity.

Yutella glared and put aside her dish, standing, "What do you want VanCross."

The man sneered, "I have nothing to say to you, woman. My issue is with the little 'Fair hair' here," he gestured towards me.

I put my hand on her arm to stop her and stood I stepped in front of her. Even when I hadn't had the warrior's power as part of me, I would not have backed away to let another take my place, _What is your issue?_

"You silent little stick, why don't you ever speak a real word? Like a real man?" His large hands formed large fists and I had to blink away the mental image of Ganon that rose over him.

_A loud mouth is no many trait, courage and power are the heart of that which makes a man great and able to protect those under his care._ I snorted, folding my arms. The wolf huffed and rolled his eyes at me** What, am I your feminine side now?**

My words irked him. "You hide from us, using your woman to keep you guarded, too afraid of us to co-mingle!" There came mutterings of agreement from behind him.

_Do you see me cowering behind her now? No, I face you head on. My reasons for not mingling because you all are filthy beasts and I have no wish to talk to, or get to know any of you._

**Link! **The wolf gasped, **You shouldn't have said something so inciting!**

"Link!" Yutella hissed, "Don't be so hasty!"

VanCross turned to the others behind him, "Did you hear this runt? He kills a few monsters and believes he can take on real warriors!"

I laughed, _you call yourselves warriors! I have not seen such a group of hapless men since I saw fat soldiers run at the threat of imps!_

"Link!"

With a wordless shout, VanCross lunged at me. My blood was pounding as I met his attack head on, joining my hands together throwing my weight behind a swing down on his neck. Sure this was not Ganon, but it was a vengeance for the terrible ravaging of my body.

**Oh…**Wolf growled, **Well, if **_**that's**_** what this is about, let's break him.**

VanCross grunted, stumbled and caught himself on one knee. His huge hand grabbed my forearms and pulled them down and together. "I'm not as easy as that…" then he reached back and drew out a short black stone knife.

"Hey!" Yutella shouted as the shiny black glinted in the sun. He brought it down towards my neck and I barely blocked his attack with a raised elbow. He pushed down, squeezing with his hands too, "You little runt…Die!"

_Fuck you too_. I spat in his face and raised my knee into his crotch, grinding it in.

VanCross cursed and winced and pulled away, his legs shaking. He was barely standing as he staggered back. Yutella came up to my side, her fists up. "You need to keep back, all of you."

I bared my teeth, _Fight me. I dare you. Threaten my life and see if I don't threaten yours. _I stepped forward from Yutella, leaning forward with the dark aura of the wolf pouring out around me. My heart was pounding in my ears and the blood was rushing drowning out any other sound. _Try me._

The door to the room slammed open and ten guards poured out, lining the area.

"Link!" Yutella shook me, and I sighed, shaking my head and stepping back with her. Averyn stepped into the room looking around slowly. He stopped, putting his hands behind himself and then walked into the middle of the room. "Now, my guarded is typically just for show, though they are very well trained." He looked over the fighters who shuffled into a small group. "But it seems I almost walked into a little w ar here. A totally unapproved, unnecessary and, frankly, its disgraceful that you would fight without an audience." He shook his head, tsk-ing, "VanCross, for being the oldest living member of my little warriors guild, you sure do forget what little rules I have for all of you. Have you forgotten?"

"No…" he muttered, knife tucked out of sight, "I haven't forgotten…"

Averyn clapped his hands together, please. "Oh joy. Good, good. Well then, since you are so well educated, won't you do me a great favor and leave? All of you? I need a word with Fair hair and his little lady friend."

"…Yes sir…" VanCross muttered and turned to got. The others filed out between the guards, VanCross the last.

Averyn turned towards me smiling. "You two have made quite a splash in the coliseum…"

Yutella frowned, "What are you talking about?"

"I came to…apologize and offer you a little deal." I let her take a protective stance in front of me. I had nothing to fear from Averyn, "We'll hear you out first."

"The citizens…well they simply adore you two. You surprise them, and please then with your high spirited battles. They knew that you can defeat any creature, and they will be your loyal fans until the day you die." He stopped suddenly, "Now, I do not mean I wish you early death, far from it in fact." He spread his hands wide, "You are their heroes…you, Link, more than anyone. If you'll forgive me for saying that, Yutella."

"What is the deal?"

"I want you to be my champion Link. Sit at my side, have access to anything you desire. All you must do is stay there and battle often – any monster brought to you. What else could you possibly want?"

Yutella looked to me, "You must decide."

I nodded, I understood that, _What I want is my freedom. I desire to leave the desert, to forget my experience here in this vile, disgusting place and have my freedom. My freedom and Yutella's freedom and the freedom of her lover; this is what I want._

Averyn frowned, "No. I can let you leave this place underground here and let you live in the palace, but I cannot let you leave."

I shook my head, _Absolute freedom is what I desire. I will not be your plaything._

"I cannot do that!"

_Why not. You command these men, this great city. You have such power and you cannot give three people their freedom?_

"You are not three ordinary people. The situations around you make it impossible for me to let you go." His face flushed.

_Then I will stay here._ I turned my back on him. Yutella stepped close, "Are you certain? Once the child grows larger, you will not be able to fight…"

_He will take me into his harem then, like you said, I will be too strange not too._ I smiled lightly.

"What is going on, you're being so risky…you should take this opportunity, you'd be a fool not to," she continued.

_Get him to leave, it is late and I want to rest. _I folded my arms stubbornly. Except for a little sigh the wolf lay down quietly in my mind.

"You're certain."

I nodded. _Completely. _

She turned to Averyn, "No Averyn, he will not go. He will stay here."

"…As you wish…" Averyn nodded. "If you change your mind, simply tell a guard you wish to speak to me." He nodded, bowed a little and then left. His guards followed him.

I sighed, _We should rest…_

She nodded, took my arm and walked out with me, in silence.

* * *

**To Be Continued**

But yeah. My computer died after my external Harddrive died. So that was sad. Then I got a job so i got reallly busy. Whatever.

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	35. Of Wisdom and Heartbeats

HEEEEEY what's up. :D

**Disclaimer: No. Don't own Zelda rights. this is all for you my fans. To get what you want out of my head so i can get reviews :D**

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Chapter 35: Of Wisdom and Heartbeats

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I shrugged into my armored leather and pulled my hair out when it got caught in the collar. Yutella stood by holding the sword and shield for me, smiling a little. Jarom stood off to the side with his arms folded. He was looking at me strangely. As I took the strap from Yutella that held sword and sheath, I looked to him, _Is there something wrong, Jarom?_

"No, nothing…you just…you look like you're glowing Link," He replied, amazed.

I looked to my arms and then to Yutella. She had her head tilted to the side, "you do have a little, glow about you.." a grin spread across her face. "You've stopped being sick in the morning already?"

_What? Yes…I a well._ I tightened the sword strap. Yutella giggled, gave my shield to Jarom to hold and put her arms around my neck. "Oh you!"

_What about me? _I blinked in surprise.

Jarom looked very confused, holding the shield as he looked back and forth between us.

She ruffled my hair and stepped back. "This is exciting, and so quick! I wonder why, usually the sickness lasts much longer. Then again you are an strange exception from the beginning…" She didn't stop grinning the whole time.

_Yes, strange is how I would put this._

"Uh…why would Link be glowing?" Jarom asked.

Yutella cleared her throat, "Oh well…Link! Your hair is growing out! We should get it cut, yeah?"

_No._ I shook my head, _I like it longer like this I think I'll let it keep going._

"But..the glowing…" Jarom said.

Yutella ignored him. "I'll have to tie it back so it won't get in your way." She looked over herself and then over Jarom, "Do you have a knife on hand?"

"Yes I do, but really, can someone explain…" He said, getting up the knife and handing it hilt first to Yutella.

She smirked, taking it, "Giving weapons to a slave like me? Tsk tsk… What if I over power you and try to escape?"

"You wouldn't need a knife to do that," he shook his head, "I trust you won't try." He finally gave up on the explanation.

"Good good," She cut a strip from her leather vest. Sticking the knife in her belt she pulled back my hair and tied it with the thin piece of leather at the base of my skull. Then she flicked my ear and winked. "Off you go, little Fair hair. Be a hero."

I rolled my eyes and took the shield from Jarom. _I'll be back. _The gates opened and I stepped out into the arena.

The moment I stepped into the arena, the cheering intensified. I smiled a little and walked out until they could safely shut the gate behind me. I raised my black sword up and turned a little, the cheering crowd made my blood rush and I grinned excitedly.

They quieted some when Averyn stood and raised his hands for quiet. "You are a great warrior-there is no doubt of that, Fair hair. TO kill colossus from the inside, no doubt you are strong as your sword is sharp. Today you will face a newly captured creature. Perhaps where you come from you know of wolves, large beasts that live in packs. Well here is our very own desert breed—let loose the wolves!" He sat back down as the gate across from me opened. A large dark brown wolf sauntered out. IT had long thin legs, large paws and large ears. Its bushy tail swung from side to side and it looked at me with golden eyes. From the dark gate out came the rest of the pack, the wolves focused entirely on me. I tightened my grip on my sword and shifted one foot, readying my stance.

**Wait! Let me see if they'll talk…**

_They don't look like they will talk…_

**Oh hush…**

I sighed and put my sword away. I let the wolf take over and felt my consciousness slip back in my mind.

It had been a long time since I was the wolf, and I felt some excitement as the wolf drew out from the black crystal and embraced it. My body changed and shifted and I turned in a circle remembering how to move my limbs and tail in the real world. Once comfortable with my body and soothed by the faded pulse of the combined energies of Link's courage and the Warrior's Power, I turned my attention to the wolf pack.

There were twelve of them, quite a large pack and they stood in a semi circle behind their lanky leader.

_Well this is unexpected, what sort of creature are you? Part wolf, part man…how curious._ The Alpha slowly stepped forward. Though his words did not come to me audibly, as the wolf I could read even the slightest twitch of his ear or tail for his meaning_, You are not from any pack I've seen, with such long fur…_

**This form was given to me during my journeys in the eastern land of Hyrule,** I replied, wagging my tail slightly.

_I do not know that land…_ The Alpha stepped up closer—sniffing me as he walked a close circle around me. _You smell like the desert…_ he yelped and scampered back, _The Goddess has touched you!_

The pack shrank away from me, whimpering.

**The desert Goddess has gifted me—yes.**

_No, the light goddesses. You are the chosen!_

Confused I tilted my head to the side, cocking my ears towards them. **The light Goddesses? You mean of the triforce?**

_Yes! Their mark is upon you!_

In a split second my right paw glowed- the triforce appeared, shining even in this bright sunlight. **Ah!**

The Alpha sank low, _Chose of the light goddess, tool of the desert goddess, I can smell your past-smell your child. We have no chance against you. We will not fight you…not for anything!_ He and his pack slunk back against the wall.

I stared at them, my mouth open. My paw ceased glowing. **You can…you can smell my child?**

_Oh the power you wield is so dangerous-stay back from us!_ The wolf growled defensively. _You have been turned and sent and your life changed and even with divine powers controlling your life you continue to change your own destiny. Your life is so uncertain…so dangerous! You are not man no more than you are wolf!_

They fled from me, to the half open gate, struggling to get under the wooden spiked edges.

I looked up and at the watching audience and then slowly turned back into my human form. _Averyn!_

The man stood, gesturing for me to continue.

_I will not fight those wolves and they will not fight me. Send them away. _I folded my arms there was a strange feeling inside of me, like a building pressure.

"You must fight! You are my gladiator!"

_Have you no eyes? Can you not see? Those wolves will not fight me and I will not fight! Be wise and send some other to fight today. You cannot force me to do anything for you. _I turned my back to him. The pressure was building inside my chest.

After a moment of silence from him, Averyn Called out, "Bring out my Gerudo Warrior. If Fair Hair will not fight his four-legged brothers, she will!" The door opened for me and I left Yutella stopped me in the hall, grabbing my shoulders.

"Link! What happened?"

_I wouldn't fight the wolves…they wouldn't fight me either…_I had my hand on my chest, struggling for breath.

"Oh…you're not hurt?" I nodded. "But you look…" I shook my head, cutting her off.

_Go out. You must take my place, Averyn says so…_

She looked very concerned for me and looked over her shoulder. She took one hand and pointed firmly at Jarom, "Take care of him. Or else." He nodded and then she left grabbing her sword from the guard on her way out. The door slammed shut.

I collapsed against the wall, gasping for breath. Jarom rushed to my side, "Link…"

I grabbed his arm for support, leaning against him. _My chest…oh my chest…_ Then I saw my hand, the triforce was still there. _What…what is going on._

Jarom brushed hair out of my face, touching my forehead, "You're heating up…"

I closed my eyes, _Something…something's so wrong…_

"This shape…this is the triforce of the golden goddesses. Why do you have this shape here?"

_I am the hero of the triforce, the representative of courage._ I was panting, struggling to breathe, _but why…why can't I breathe._

"Its ok. Calm down…" Jarom murmured, "Try to take a deep breath…" He rubbed my back as he spoke. I nodded weakly. The pressure was growing and my knees were weakening.

"Link? Link?" Jarom's voice was shaking.

I opened my eyes slightly, _What is it?_

"What is this?" He was staring down at something on my chest.

I looked down, the black crystal protruding from my chest. It was the embodiment of evil twilight magic..the very thing that turned me into a wolf. Here it was in my chest like a shard of glass from a mirror. I touched it with my right hand. Sparks flared and I yelped, pulling my hand, the triforce was burning. _This…this hurts…so much…_

Jarom gaped at me, speechless. My skin was glowing, lighting the entire hallway. I was overheating and sweating. I began to claw at my clothing and armor, desperate to peel them off. Jarom helped me, untangling knots and tugging loose my clothing until my chest and legs were bare and all I wore was my undergarments. I panted for breath, my skin hot and burning, all except for the ice cold crystal in my chest. Jarom held me upright, his hands hot and cold on my back at the same time. I was still glowing, and the crystal was as well, it's dark light swallowing up the light of my skin.

The crystal also began to sink further into my chest, the piercing gold soaking into my body.

"Link!" Jarom gasped out as my legs gave out and he had to hold me up on his own. I felt like my veins were rivers of lava sluggishly pulsing through my body and each breath brought in frosty breath. With a whimper and a moan, I sank into Jarom's arms and into the darkness of unconsciousness.

_Oh…my head…_

"Hello Link…" It was a smooth, soft voice that spoke to me. One I recognized, but had not heard in a long while.

_Era?_ I sat up a little too quickly, winced but looked up at the woman sitting on my bed.

She giggled, "No, no dearie. Its me, Kym."

My eyes widened. I was in my room, all dark but for the candle flickering on a stool. I was in my bed, my covers tucked around my legs and She sat on the side, Her long dark legs hanging off into the darkness of my room. She smiled at me, leaning back a little. She wasn't wearing much at the time, a light, barely covering blouse and billowing leggings that cup up to Her hips, revealing much of Her thigh. She crossed Her legs and smiled at me, Her eyes half open and Her lips glossy. "It was the magics, Link, my love. The dark and light that made such a reaction inside of you. You'll be fine though, now, anyway. They've blended, molded to your form….Aren't you lucky?"

I nodded slightly, not too concerned, I certainly felt much better. _But..how did I get to my bedroom?_

"Jarom, the sweetheart. He carried you here, and your things, fetched you a healer too- one of the best." Then She pursed Her lips, "But he had to leave, there was a problem with some of the creatures…Yutella would be here now, but she was bitten pretty badly but is recovering nicely. She'll be around in a bit." Kym stretched, really Her blouse did not leave much to the imagination… I blushed deeply and had to look away.

_Why are you here?_

"My priestess prayed you would be safe. So here I am.." She shrugged a little. Kym turned towards me and smiled, "Do you feel any different now?"

At first I shook my head and then I stopped. I touched my chest and gasped, touching my head. _The wolf, the crystal…where is it, where is he?_

She smiled and tapped my chest with Her fingertip. "Its all here inside of you…You can feel it can't you? Right there with the warrior inside of you."

I blinked, _I do feel it… I feel so…_

"Whole." She leaned in a little. "Like yourself for the first time in a long while—hmm?"

I nodded, smiling a little, _Why was I like that? Why was I split in the first place?_

"Your aspects parted like the triforce in your hand, one for power, one for wisdom and one for courage. These battles you have been waging outside of your body are like the ones inside of you, with these solved, you are healing…I'm so proud of you." She cupped my cheek with Her smooth palm and kissed my forehead. "You're strong. You will succeed. And Era misses you." She winked.

I blushed again. _Will I see her again?_

"I have a feeling you will…" She nodded with a chuckle. She stood slowly, brushing herself off, "And I have a feeling you will see me again soon as well…"

_You're going already?_

The door opened and I glanced over to it. When I looked back, Kym was gone. Jarom stepped into the room.

"Link…" He smiled. "Sorry I wasn't here when you woke. I had a little situation to take care off." I smiled back at him. He didn't look much different than earlier, maybe a little frazzled, if his messy hair had anything to say about him.

_I'm ok._ I brushed my hair out of my face.

He sat down on the side of my bed. "I was worried about you. I'd never seen anything like what happened to you."

I blushed, shaking my head. _You don't need to worry…I've gone through stranger things before._

He chuckled nervously. "I guess so… I heard you turned into a wolf in the arena…" He was looking away at the bare wall.

_I don't think I'll be doing that again…_ I rubbed the back of my neck, smiling sheepishly. _I don't think I'll need to do it either._

He turned towards me suddenly, stepping over to the bed and leaning close to me, "Yutella…She told me you left your land to save your land. She told me that Ganondorf intended to…have you as his own."

I turned a darker red in embarrassment. _She told you that? All of that?_ I covered my face with my hands.

He shook his head, "There were things she would not tell me, but what does it matter? To know that you made such a sacrifice for your country, to give up freedom to live with that…man." He wiped his mouth with his hand, "Its not an easy thing to do."

I pulled my knees up to my chest. _No…it is not easy._

He sat down on the bed and put his hand on my knee, whispering, "I don't want you to think I pity you…but I understand how hard it is to give up what you have for something, or someone who doesn't really appreciate it." He squeezed a little.

His had was warm and his callouses rough…I smiled and put my hand over his. _Most of those who know and appreciate me are of this country, people who know of him, what he is like and understand what he does._

He smiled at me and looked down at our hands before looking back up at me. "Link…"

"LINK!" the door slammed open, making Jarom and I both jump. Yutella stood there, with a bandage on one arm, putting down her foot from where she had kicked the door open. "Oi what are you two get up to in here?" She looked at us suspiciously. Jarom turned dark red and stood sharply.

"I'll be going now…" he hurried from the room.

She giggled and flopped down on the bed beside me. She hugged me around the neck with her good arm. "He's a little sweety you know. Really keen on helping you…" I covered my face with my hands.

"You look a lot better than before." She smiled at me, "How are you feeling?"

_Whole_, I moved my hands down, _healthy._

"Well good. I mean, you were out for a few days."

_A few days? What?_ I blinked in shock, mouth hanging open.

She nodded, "Two days. Arom has been hanging around all day and even Averyn walked by, curiously enough. He wanted to know when you woke again."

_He probably wants to get back at me for refusing to fight the wolves._ I sighed.

"Perhaps…perhaps…" She was grinning.

_What is it? What do you know?_

"Well, once when I stepped out for lunch, Averyn was in here sitting by your bed when I returned. He looked pretty worried about you, not very suspicious, but worried in a cute way."

_Cute? You think he is cute? _I looked at her in shock.

"I meant the way he was sitting here, like he was your friend. It was cute in a pathetic way." She explained.

There was a sound from the door. Averyn stood there, hands folded in front of him. He was clearing his throat.

Yutella sat back, smiling at me. I lowered my knees. _Yes?_

"I just wanted to inform you that you're going to be doing a private showing. I have high class viewers coming to see you fight a very…particular beast. Tonight you will dress normally, without armor, and you will be walked to the palace to a private room and you will fight there.

I nodded. _I will._

"Good…" He nodded. He looked to Yutella and gave a little sigh, "Honestly, pathetically cute?" He scoffed, shook his head and left us alone.

Yutella shrugged at me and I shrugged back. "Well, at least he doesn't seem too angry?"

I smiled, _Yeah. But I am not looking forward to a private showing._

She winked, "Keep your pants on, hmm?"

I flushed and kicked her off my bed, _Not funny Yutella._

She just lay on the floor laughing at me.

That night it was Jarom who came knocking on my door. He had my sword slung over his shoulder and my shield under his arm. He gave me a little smile, "Rested up, Link?"

I nodded, getting up from the floor. Yutella waved me goodbye. We had been going through some stretches, to wake my body from the two day sleep. _I'm ready to go._

He stepped back a little, giving me room to join him in the hallway. I heart Yutella giggle as I shut the door behind me. I smiled at Jarom and he nodded a little, "This way."

I walked beside him in the hall, _Averyn trusts you, doesn't he. He has you fetch me and take me places all the time._

"He is not an idiot, just…very strange." Jarom replied, "I've been working under him since he came into power almost ten years ago. He understands that you trust me…or at least you'll follow me and he won't try to push you away by angering you." He chuckled a little, "He thinks that there's something about you that he doesn't want to loose hold of, so he uses me."

_Uses you? What do you do for him…besides lead me places?_

"Yes, I'm a monster hunter as my father before me and his before him. However, I'm the last of the line," he gave me a wry smile, shrugging a little, "But there are many who are doing that job with me now. Averyn's rebuilding and encouraging use of the coliseum boosted the interest in the hunting and trafficking of monsters. It also cuts out some of the idiots who go out hunting."

_Fighting and hunting is not a task for the weak or for the foolish. _

"Exactly."

We were out of the coliseum tunnels now, and out in the darkening twilight. A string of lanterns led the way along the wall we walked beside. The glow was a warm honey orange, which made me strangely hungry and very homesick very suddenly. I rubbed my hand over my arm and gave a little sigh.

Jarom looked to me, "Link? Something wrong?"

I blinked and shook my head, _No, no…I'm all right._

He hesitated, looking around a bit before he put down the shield and put his hand on my shoulder. I glanced to it and then up at him. "About this…monster tonight, I can't tell you much, Averyn hates to have a surprise spoiled, but what I can tell you is that the appearance of this next monster belies its strength and speed. Be careful when you fight him."

I nodded and looked away. _I'm not worried about this fight…I am…worried about my future. I am not certain of what will happen to me in a few weeks time, let alone after today._

He squeezed his hand on my shoulder slightly. "Don't worry too much; I'm watching out for you, as much as I can, and so is Yutella. You're not alone in this." He gave me a reassuring smile, "You're not _alone_."

I felt tears welling up in my eyes and I blinked hard to push them away. I nodded and began walking again, taking myself away from his hand.

After a few moments he began to follow me. Soon we were at a base of a tower much taller than necessary. It rose above the palace area and entire city with ease, like a spear planted into the ground to rake the clouds above. I stared up at it and Jarom sighed, "It's for…dramatic purposes," he remarked dryly. "It's terrible and full of stairs all the way to the top. I hate the very building itself."

My legs began to ache just at the thought of climbing the stairs. A guard at the bottom opened the door for us, "You're expected, Jarom." The man stepped to the side as we walked in.

Jarom walked ahead of me, his left hand on the railing and his other at his side. He was…quite a bit older than I was, perhaps eight or ten years even. Yet I didn't think of him like I thought of the other men I had met on my travels, or known in my village. He looked different, certainly, but there was something about him…

Something about the way his body moved, as he climbed the endless stairs. The way his clothing, loose and airy, hung off of and hugged his body in different ways. He was strong, very strong, I could see it in the way he moved, but that made sense, he was a _monster_ hunter after all. But there was just a shape of his body that I inherently liked.

He had broad shoulders; there was no mistaking him for a woman from _any_ distance, and a straight back and sides. There was probably very little extra body fat on him, with all his fighting and this stair climbing, and if the way he would put his hand on the hilt of the sword on his hip was any indication, he was used to carrying and probably using a blade.

But he wasn't just a body; he was Jarom, a kind man doing what he could for me in this situation. I felt a little guilty that I wouldn't and could not tell him about the pregnancy. How in the world would he understand what happened, what people did to get this child I carry?

A little part of me hoped desperately that he would never find out. Another part prayed he would, but would accept. I knew, though, that neither of those things were likely to happen…

Jarom stopped and turned slightly. We were suddenly on a landing. I blinked and looked around, _We climbed those stairs so fast…_

"Yeah, the coil of the stairs is stretched out making each step larger but also making it fewer steps to climb. But they're steep as hell to get down every day…" said a man beside the doorway. In fact there were two guards by the doorway, a man and a woman.

The woman gave a half hearted, two finger salute, "Evenin' Jarom."

"Bring another lamb to the slaughter?" the man leered, leaning on his pike. The woman punched him in the arm and glared at him.

"You know Fair Hair is going to kill this fuckin' monster so we can stop climbing the stairs every damn day, remember? We talked about this." She looked to me, her eyes were like ice and she looked hardened by time, fighting and…stairs. "Right? You're going to kill this beast so we can finally get rid of this fuckin' tower."

_Of course._ I replied, _I will kill it._

"Don't be too hasty!" The man chuckled, "Louie is quite a fiend, in battle and in word. You keep an eye on his sharp hands." He wiggled his fingers at me.

"Junea, Quinn, shut up." Jarom said, "Why are you trying to make him nervous?"

I put a hand on his arm, _I'm not nervous. Give me my sword. I will kill this…Louie._ I smiled firmly. Jarom paused and then gave me my sword and shield.

"Good luck," he murmured to me, looking very solemn.

The woman unlocked and opened the door. As I walked in, the male guard said to Jarom, "You didn't tell him no one's come out of that doorway alive, did you?"

I glanced over my shoulder, but the door swung shut and suddenly I was in a room of pitch black.

Along the wall, torches lit up, sparking into life from an unseen force. The room was octagonal, with the lights and wide darkened windows alternating along the walls. Behind one of the glass windowpanes, a light flickered on and I saw Averyn standing with a few other men and women I had not seen before. He pressed down on something to his side and I suddenly heard his voice through the wall, "Welcome Fair Hair, we've been expecting you."

I nodded, flexing my arms and shifting into a restful stance.

"Tonight you will face a great battle…and monster that, from my whole collection, is a personal favorite of mine. Found in the ancient ruins of the Northern Gates, a creature not quite living and not wholly dead; I present to you a cunning, quick, and dark monster Lord Uwe Kind- Vampire." Instantly the light of his room was quenched, darkening my view of Averyn.

I looked over the room and out stepped Uwe from the shadows. He was cloaked in a cloak of nearly black, the cloth flowing around his body like a stream of molten dark chocolate. His skin was pasty white, like bones bleached from sun, and his eyes were the pinkish red of an albino. His hair hung down around his shoulders as straight as rope and as grey as ash. Besides his coloration and complexion, he looked very much like a human might. He took one stiff step forward, his lips curling up in a smirk, "Vell, vell, vell…" Contrary to his colorless appearance, as he opened his mouth to speak, his tongue and inside of his mouth were red as blood.

I lifted my shield up and crouched behind it, I wanted to see what he had before I tried to attack him…

"I never dought I'd be facing zomeone zo … veak und …yit zo determined," he chuckled, sweeping his cloak open with one hand. He carried no weapon, but from the look of his blackened, talon like nails. I now realized what the comment 'sharp hands' meant. Weaponless or not, he was not defenseless…

Uwe looked to the window where I had seen Averyn, "I do hope you brought me someone vorthvile…Zovar I am most…unimpressed…" and then he lunged.

I held my ground and my shield up, but he just grabbed the side of the metal and tore it from my grasp entirely, twisting my arm and making me wince. In a heartbeat he had me pinned to a wall with his hand around my throat and three inch fangs just inches from my face. I shivered at the utter chill of his skin and gasped for breath as he closed his hand slowly on my neck. For one brief, eternal second I heard and felt my heart beat pound in my ears, blocking out all other sound.

In the next moment, Uwe was halfway across the room, staring at me with wide pink eyes as I sunk to my knees gasping for breath. I looked up, not daring to take my eyes off of him and staggered to my feet.

"No…it iz impossibul," he narrowed his eyes, scowling, "You _are_ a man, are you not?"

I nodded slowly, stepping away from the wall slightly and holding up my sword. He was much stranger and faster than I had first thought. A tremor of worry writhed its way into my confidence.

"A normal man doez not have _three_ heartbeats," he held up three fingers as if I couldn't count. "Zo ze question iz…why do you?"

I blinked, three heartbeats? But before I could figure something out, I saw murderous thoughts flash in his eyes and he grinned so broadly I could see nearly all of his teeth.

"Vhatever it iz, vunce I keel you…I vill gut you to vind the zource of it," he flexed his hands and then pounced at me.

Without my shield I was a little lighter on my feet and so I quickly sidestepped him and brought my black blade down across his back, adding more force to his leap and making him crash into the black marble floor. He screeched and hissed and clamored to his feet. The land had cut open his chin, but as I watched the wound turn black and close up completely. His cloak was ripped up and his shirt slashed open and I could see the damage of my blade on him. He tore off his ruined cloak and I saw that where my blade had cut him, his skin turned as black as ink and began to glow a sullen, poisonous green. His skin pieced back together and he licked his lips with his red tongue, "Oh zat vas delicious…do it again, vill you?" He laughed and sprang again, clawed fingers outstretched.

I batted at his hands and arms with my sword, parrying as if his arms were blades of their own. But every wound I delivered turned black, glowed and healed as the first two had. Rolling out of the way, I gripped my sword with two hands and leapt as he turned to face me.

My black blade sliced down through his collar bone and into the middle of his chest, where it stuck. He gurgled and his head fell back. I moved back, pulling on the hilt, but it would not budge. He sank to his knees and I put my foot to his chest and pushed. It still would not move.

His hand flashed up and grabbed my ankle. He began to laugh and I let go of the hilt to tear my foot from his grasp. As I stumbled back, he got to his feet. The wound was sealing up once again with that sickly glow.

"Mmm, thiz zword…zuch raw dark energy…" He grabbed the hilt with his own hands and pulled it from his own chest. He looked at me as he licked the black blade that tripped with the unhealthy green glow.

I shuddered at the sight. Now I was defenseless, unarmed and cornered by this….creature. I backed into the wall and my hands instinctively pushed against the stone work, looking for something to use to protect myself.

Uwe grinned at me, "Now how should I thank you vor zuch a gift, hmm?" He took off the rags of his ruined shirt, revealing bare marble white skin. He hefted the sword in one hand and flexed his other, "I zink I vill cut open your belly…and vind vhat makes you zo zpecial."

Cold fear ran down my spine and I froze. The two heart beats…from my stomach…Goddess of all that was Bright and Holy, there were two children inside of me.

I had no time to fully comprehend that when the creature came at me, sword waving. I dodged this way and that, leading him around the room as he slashed at me with sword and hand. He was a poor swordsman though, as the blade went wide more often than not, and even dug into the wall a few times, leaving surprisingly deep slashes in the stone. I knew that if I just had a sword, I could kill him and have this be over with. Of course, he had the only sword here…

He laughed and howled as he chased me around the room and then as I tripped over one of his damned discarded pieces of clothing, he leapt through the air at me, waving his arms like a madman.

He crashed open the wall, sending stone cascading down the outside of the tower and the torch fell down as well. The ice cold desert night air poured in with such a fury it sucked out my breath and even Uwe scampered back from the opening. I lay dazed a little beside it.

For a long moment the Vampire looked out the hole in the wall and then to the sword and then out into the night air. A dark, violent expression crossed his face, "Vat do I need to ztay here for now….?" He took two steps to the opening before a bright light appeared in the entrance.

I covered my eyes and then, when I could see and the light had dimmed slightly, I looked over. The golden light was like sunlight…and if I hadn't known it was night I would have thought it was sunlight. In the beam of light floated a woman, a woman I was becoming very familiar with. _Kym!_

She chuckled, Her voice like velvet and She winked, "Oh you…I have to visit you twice a day now? How are you ever going to live without me?"

I blushed, _Why are you here?_

"To gave you what you asked for, sweetheart." She reached out Her hand and closed it around a shaft of light. The glowing intensified and I had to look away. I vaguely heard Uwe snarl across the room. As the brightness dimmed, She said, "Here, My Chosen. Take the mate to the Blade of Night. Wield the essence of Sun and Fire in your hands."

I got to my feet and She held out the sword to me. "The rest is up to you," She murmured, leaning in and kissing my cheek. She faded and the light of the sword dimmed so I could clearly look at the blade.

The sword was light in my hand, with red leather for the hilt and a white gold blade that shimmered as my Master Sword had in the Twilight world. I slashed it through the air, and it was like a red-wire followed it through the air as an echo. Uwe shrank from the lights and I smiled. A sword wielding hero against that _thing_? He had no chance.

Uwe was panting and pressed back against the wall as flat as he could be, "That…That vas cheating!"

I smirked and shifted, taunting him as I guestured with my free hand for him to attack, _Cheating you say? I dare you to face me now…or are you scared from a little light show?_

Baring his fangs, he took his sword in two hands and did a shoddy mimic of my jump and swing. I raced forward, slicing my sword up and under and slicing up across his torso. He screamed and missed his landing, collapsing and rolling onto his side. Big red blisters bulged on his skin around the wound and it began to ooze a yellowish ichor. Panting he pushed himself up, his eyes were glowing with his anger as he got to his feet. This wound on his chest did not heal, but continued to fester red and yellow.

I lifted my light sword up and waited for his inevitable attack. He ran at me, all over the place like Zant had been. As he swung at me, I nicked his blade away like a cat batting at a mouse. The split second that there was nothing between him and my sword the golden blade flared into life and blinded us both. Uwe screamed and fled back against the wall.

As the light faded and I blinked spots from my vision I saw the monster's damaged face. It was red and bubbling with blisters that glistened with an oily coating. Where it wasn't red it was black like charred meat, burned so badly it crumbled under his touch. Uwe touched his face gingerly, crumbling the charcoal and moaning, "My vace! My beautivul vace!" Again this wound did not heal, but seemed to spread and grow, getting worse every second.

"You viend!" Uwe screeched, lurching foreward. One of his eyelids had burned off, exposing his whole eyeball and the other remained hidden under a sagging charred piece of skin and puss. "I vill cut you open collar to navel!" his scream was so violent it made charred bits of his lips break off. He ran at me with his sword upraised.

I ducked under his swing and thrust my sword up. The blinding light filled the room again as it ran through the middle of his chest.

"Curse you…" he groaned out, the reddening blisters breaking from the pressure. "Curse you and your spawn. Curse your Goddes who vavors you…I curse your lover and I curse your vriends," his voice cracked, his pink iris staring at me with pure hatred. His hands dripped burned skin and flesh, revealing the bones beneath. "But most ov all…I curse your vucking zword!" His limbs crumbled and his body blackened like a burned piece of wood. His eyes sunk into his head and his head fell off the back of his body.

I let him fall and completely turn to ashes and crumbled bones before taking my sword of light and its mate from his corpse. Brushing them off for a moment, I remembered my shield and picked it up, placing it on my back.

I took a shivering breath, and turned to face the glass window now lit again. Averyn stared at me in awe. _I have passed your test. Haven't I?_

He blinked, unable to comprehend.

_Open the door for me. Now._

The door swung open and I stepped out. My legs were beginning to shake and my arms to tremble.

Jarom and the two guards were outside. His smile faded at the sight of my face. "Link?"

I looked at him and shook my head slightly. _Goddess Bright…_I dropped the swords and covered my mouth. _Twins!_ My vision darkened, and before I blacked out entirely, I felt Jarom grab me up.

* * *

**OH my god. did you see that happening?**

**No, neither did I :D**

REVIEW please. I struggled through this last chapter.

and OMG i can't wait for the next one :D REVIEW

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Love,

CC


	36. The Consequences of Truth and Vengeance

Hey, long time no see, hmm? Oh you know the drill I suppose. Link/Zeldaverse are not mine. I do this for pleasure, not profit. All reviews are welcome

* * *

**Chapter 36: The Consequences of Truth and ****Vengeance**

* * *

I woke to voices. I kept my eyes shut and let out a slow breath as if I were still asleep. I was in the bed. I could tell from the coarse linen and the smell, that it was the bed in the coliseum. There was a weight on the edge of my bed near my legs, and it shifted as I heard Yutella speak.

"Since I've known him, he's been strange. He got terribly burned one day and that made him black out, but then the very next day he did it again, just by twisting his ankle."

There was the hiss of a quick breath in, then Jarom spoke, "That's from an injury though, this is fainting from just a word."

I could hear Yutella's grin in her voice, "Trust me, from what you told me, I'm not that surprised he fainted."

"What could the word 'Twins' mean to him though? And why would it come up during that battle?" Jarom sounded genuinely puzzled, "Yutella, you have to tell me. Does Link have a twin?"

"Heavens, no!" Yutella laughed. I heard the clink of fingernails on metal and the slosh of a drink.

My heart began to pound, was she going to _tell_ him? No! I sat up rapidly, reaching out to grab her arm. _Yutella, no!_ I had thought that she was the one sitting on my bed, she was my friend and Jarom was...

But it was Jarom who sat with me, with a cup in his hand. He looked at me as I grabbed his arm. His muscles were hard under his dark skin. I stared at him, dumbfounded and he just stared back at me, his face frozen in a smile. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Yutella's mouth spread like the smile of a cat just given cream. I blushed furiously and pulled my hand back slowly. Oh he was so strong...

Yutella sat crosslegged on the stool a few feet away. She held a metal goblet in her hands, tapping her fingernails against the side. She still wore the white bandage on her arm. "What Link?" she purred, "You don't have a twin brother..."

I blushed even more and folded my hands nervously in my lap. I felt awkward, sitting next to him while I was still under my blanket. Had he carried me down from the tower to here? This would have been the second day in a row that he had saved me after I collapsed.

"Are you all right Link?" Jarom asked, concern shining in his dark eyes. He leaned towards me slightly.

_I'm fine...Just a little fuzzy still..._ I looked away.

"Oh..." Jarom paused and then held out his goblet. "Here, have a drink, I haven't really had any." I took the metal cup and sipped from it. Yutella was watching us with the biggest grin on her face, she was clearly trying not to giggle. The drink was some sort of flavored water drink I had never had. It was sweet as if someone had added a spoonful or two of honey to it. _This is good_. I smiled at the both of them.

"Well I'm glad you like it. It took forever for Jarom to smuggle it in for me. He's such a sweetheart."

"I didn't smuggle it..." Jarom flushed, "I had to find it first, you didn't tell me that only the priestesses of your home made this tea. Besides, there is no reason for you to be so uncomfortable while you're here."

"Exactly. You're a sweetheart." Yutella waved her hand at him dismissively, "Now Link, is there anything you want that Jarom could give you?" There was a strange sparkle in her eye and even Jarom seemed interested in my response.

I sipped the drink again slowly, thinking and then shrugged a little. _Not right now I guess. Its not like he could break me out of this place, with you Yutella, and your love._

"There you go Jarom. He wants freedom. Can you do that?" She laughed lightly.

Jarom, however, seemed completely serious when he said, "Yes. I can do it..." He looked to me, "It will take a while but I can do it." I stared at him. There was no faultering in his gaze or in his voice.

I gave him a little nod, just before there was a knock at the door.

"Link..." Averyn opened the door. He stopped when he saw Jarom and Yutella with me. "Of course..." he muttered, "You would all be in here."

"Hello Averyn," Yutella smirked, she seemed to be in a pretty good mood today.

"Lord Averyn," Jarom said respectfully.

I just nodded to him.

"Ah, well, you'll all find out about this soon enough," He stepped inside and shut the door behind himself. He folded his hands together. "I have news about Ganondorf."

I froze, ice filling my veins. If he was coming here... My world darkened as I invisioned the anger he must feel towards me. Were he to find me here, I would have no escape from his wrath or his power. He would most certainly keep me under lock and key until I bore his child or children and then... I closed my eyes, shuddering, then he could dispose of me like useless livestock, no longer useful and only a sign of his bitterness.

"Don't stretch it out," Yutella snapped, putting the metal cup down sharply on the trunk. "Tell us everything right now!" Her sharp tone snapped me out of my fear and seemed to annoy Averyn, but he did comply.

"Ganon received a nearly mortal wound a while ago. The extent of the damage was unknown even to him until recently." Averyn explained, gesturing with both hands. "It turns out that the would damaged his spine and rendered him paralyzed from the waist down." He stopped here, watching us, waiting for our reactions.

Jarom looked to me. Was he remembering the blood I had on my clothes when he first found me? I was. I looked away from him and down to my drink. My watery, rippling reflection looked back at me, too red for how pale and fragile I felt. I had paralyzed Ganondorf. I could still remember the way his blood had poured from the wound, the ribbons of flesh that parted under the sharp point of Era's blade.

Era. Was she alive? Did he punish her for my deed? I clenched the cup in my hands, if he did...if he hurt her I would have to stop him. I would have to kill him...

I closed my eyes, scowling, I could feel deep in my bones that something dark and terrible awaited me in the future. For one long, aching moment, I wished I had simply killed him then.

"Will he walk again? What kind of condition is he in?" Yutella pressed for answers. I looked up, pulling myself from my despairing thoughts and watched Averyn to hear his answer.

Averyn sounded relieved as he spoke, as if he actually thought we cared. "He's not sure. He sent word to me so I could bring him doctors and wizards, anyone to help. So I will be going with them to help him."

Suddenly Jarom spoke, "You're leaving? When? I thought you had planned to keep the coliseum going for at least two more weeks."

"Why does it matter if he leaves?" Yutella muttered.

I watched them speak to each other, but felt distant from the whole situation. Even though I did not despair, I couldn't shake the worry that had settled on my shoulders.

"The battles cannot continue without the presence of the High Lord of the city or the Lord Governor." Jarom was quick to explain, "Since the High Lord is gone already, him being Averyn's father, Averyn is the one in charge. However, he is only the Lord Governor, and thus cannot appoint anyone to a high enough status to take over the responsibility of the Coliseum."

"One of us must be present, in case something goes wrong and there must be a proclamation or ordinance enacted to protect the citizens or to deal with the coliseum. It is too dangerous to leave unattended." Averyn ended, resting a hand on his hip and the other waving in the air as if swatting a fly. "And so, since I wanted to end with a grand finale, and also because I aim to leave with the sunrise, tonight Link faces the manscorpion."

"No!" exclaimed Yutella, rising to her feet. "He has fought three days in a row, after passing out after each battle. You can't do this to him. I forbid it."

Averyn narrowed his eyes and lifted his chin. "Well then it is good that I am a Lord Governor and you are a slave to amuse me."

"Lord Averyn, I too advise you against having him battle today...please let him rest." Jarom asked, standing and putting a hand before the angry Yutella. "Surely you can put off the battle for at least one day and let him recover from facing the vampire. You can send the doctors ahead of yourself, surely Ganon won't mind..."

Averyn hesitated, I could see him thinking and then he said, "I will think about it. I had sent word there would be a great battle tonight."

Jarom nodded, "Then let me help you make a selection Lord Averyn." He stepped towards him. I could see Averyn smile and warm up to him, preening under Jarom's focused attention. A twist of jealousy spun itself into a knot in my stomach and I had to look away as Averyn accept his offer and the two of them left.

* * *

Yutella stared at the door for a moment after the two had left and shut it behind them. She shook her head and rubbed her forehead with her hand and then sighed. She turned to look at me and gave me a strained, cheery smile, "I thought we'd never get a minute to ourselves." She crossed the room and knelt on the bed where Jarom once sat. "We need to talk."

I looked at her nervously, _Talk about what?_

"The vampire and the twins. You have to tell me what he said. How could he know about them and we have to know if he was lying to you." She explained, "He could have just been telling you things to throw you off guard."

_Maybe...but why lie about that? He would have to know and we have not told anyone!_

"He's a creature of pure darkness and hatred, Link, he would be more likely to lie than to tell the truth..." She replied firmly, "Especially about something that could throw you off balance."

_He still would have to find out about the child...And besides, its not like he even called it a baby._ I frowned at her.

"...What?" She stared at me.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, _Let me fully explain. While we were fighting, he said he could hear more than one heartbeat, he asked me if I were a man and when I said yes he declared that it was not normal for a man to have three heart beats. But he didn't know what caused it. Instead he said he would cut me open to find out what it was,_ I shuddered a little at the thought, _He was clueless from the beginning to the end. He just realized there were two heartbeats in my abdomen. _

Yutella leaned back on her feet, crossing her arms over her chest and thinking about it. I watched her and then looked down at the tea. I sipped some as she went "hmmm hmmm" to herself.

"All right. I will accept that he probably didn't lie, but we can't just rely on his word to be the reason we think you're going to have twins. I have to check."

_Check? How?_

She grinned. "Magic, of course. Now give me that drink and lay down on your back."

I handed her the cup and she set it beside hers on the trunk. I lay down again, awkwardly laying my hands across my chest. _How are you going to hear the heartbeats? I mean...what kind of magic are you going to use?_

Yutella chuckled as she slid closer, she pulled my shirt up to expose my smooth belly and then patted my head, "Just relax and don't fidget."

I blushed and held as still as possible.

She placed her hands on my belly and let out a slow breath. She closed her eyes and began to murmur softly, too softly for me to understand the words. My stomach began to feel warm and then the skin grew cool, almost cold. She went quiet and I could see a faint glow around my abdomen, her arms, hand and head. Then, very slowly, she leaned down and placed her ear to my stomach and listened in silence. I held my breath, watching her with wide eyes. From this angle, I could see glowing runes upon her forehead and cheeks. She moved her ear from spot to spot and then, with a smile, the light began to fade. I gasped for breath, having forgotten to breathe, and she sat up.

_So? Yutella, please don't make me wait..._

"He did not lie." She said seriously, "There are two children. I could clearly hear two heart beats besides your own."

I felt dazed, shocked again at the confirmation. Sure I may have been thinking about it being twins but until this point I didn't comprehend it fully. It was real. It was true. Twins! My vision swam before my eyes and my head began to feel light.

Yutella looked down at me, tapping her chin with a finger, "Twins. Oh they are going to make your belly _huge_!" she giggled. I blushed and pulled my shirt down.

Sitting up I scowled, _They will not make me that big..._

"Who are you kidding Link? You are going to become enormous! One baby maybe your body could look relatively normal, but these are twins. No one is going to be able to recognize you with a belly that big." She laughed more, as if she were picturing it in her head.

_But babies are small!_ I wrapped my arms around my stomach.

"Yeah, perhaps normal babies are, but these ones do have half of Ganondorf's genes. You can't say if they will or will not be large babies. Oh goodness, I can just barely remember what Sukrabella looked like with her belly full of Ganondorf himself! She had to be wheeled around in a chair if she wanted to go anywhere..."

_W-what! I don't want that!_

"Plus they'll be twice the trouble to take care off, twice the diapers, the feedings, the baths, the beds, the toys...and probably twice the stretch marks!" Yutella counted off on her fingers as she spoke.

_St-stretch marks?_ I gaped in horror. I had never been very vain, but my poor body was going to be a wreck! Who would want to be with a whale with stretch marks!

"Well of course. Not to mention they'll probably be pretty bad, since you seem to be advancing fairly quickly through all the stages of pregnancy. Its probably safe to say that you're going to have twins, sooner than in nine months."

I ran my hands through my hair. Nausea that reminded me of my morning sickness swept over me and made my stomach clench and my throat close up at the thought of it. _Twins...twins really soon!_

"And you know having children is probably the most difficult thing for a person's body to handle. Especially in your circumstances..." Yutella sighed and shook her head, "I have no idea how you're going to end up giving birth to one child, let alone two..."

I gasped and looked at her. I felt tears pressing against my eyes, but was trying to refuse them. Yutella was making it very difficult to do so.

"Well, women have a vagina which doubles as a birth canal during the birth of the baby. You can't just carry the baby inside of you forever, you know...so how are you going to get them out? Magic?"

_Y-yes?_ I asked hopefully.

"Maybe," She replied, pursing her lips. "And what about labor? That in itself can last for many painful hours." She continued. Each word she spoke twisted bigger and bigger knots in my stomach. "Sometimes I don't think this was a very well thought out plan." She was looking off to the side, thoughtful. "There are a lot of wholes in having a man carry children."

_Yes...apparently there are..._ I hung my head, _I wish that he had just asked me, informed me! Then maybe we wouldn't be in this mess._

"He didn't want you to object or fight him on it. He had a desire and...being Ganondorf, he does what he wants, regardless of others. You would have ended up getting pregnant in any case."

_But maybe I wouldn't be here! In a coliseum alone with one person who knows my condition and another man who seems intent on killing me because I __**once**__ slept with the person he apparently adores._

"Well, he probably expected you to obey him. In the beginning you were pretty compliant." She leaned back a little and sighed, "He's such a strong personality and just so powerful its hard for him to not get what he wants, at least at first..."

_For a while all I wanted was for someone to think for me..._ I admitted with tears in my eyes, _But then things changed and I couldn't... I couldn't be so submissive._ I thumped my fist down on my leg.

Yutella let out a soft snort. "Yeah, stabbing him in the gut and paralyzing him was not at all submissive." She grinned, "It's a miracle he lived, in my opinion, but then someone had to give him that miracle."

_Perhaps it is because he is part of the triforce that he was kept alive. Perhaps he can't die, or I can't really die until the triforce passes onto others. His does give him more power than other have, perhaps it gave him the power to survive a wound that would kill any ordinary person._ My emotions were calming as we got onto this safer topic. I did not want to think about twins. _The triforce continued to make me behave courageously when I thought I was being weak and giving in. I just...it took some time to understand it._

Yutella put her hand on my arm, "It takes a lot for someone to willingly give their life for their country...and not just die for their country but live for it."

Something I realized made me jerk to attention, _Wait, since I ran away, and attacked him, doesn't that mean that... doesn't that mean he's free to attack Hyrule?_

She stared at me, her mouth dropping open. Covering it with one hand she exclaimed, "Oh shit! I hadn't even considered that!"

_He could be planning to attack right now!_

"Except he's paralyzed." Yutella said quickly, "And that kind of injury prevents you from running around and fighting wars."

_Right... so once he heals he'll declare war on them. They won't expect it because they think that I've taken care of it. _Misery began to settle along with the worry of the fight and the stress of the twins on my shoulders. I curled over, holding my face in my hands. I closed my eyes. And with the twins there would be no way for me to fight him until they were born and I was in a condition to fight again... So it was now a race to see who became better faster.

Yutella slid closer and put her arms around me in a gentle embrace. "Don't worry too much Link." She stroked my hair and whispered, "You've got me, and Jarom too. He's a good man, a nice man..." She gave me a little kiss on the top of my head, "He's earnest about caring for you and I'm sure he'll be okay with all this crazy stuff."

I laughed weakly, my voice bubbly from the tears.

"Don't worry Link, it'll be okay..."

* * *

The door slammed open. Yutella jerked to her feet, grabbing at her waist as if a sword were there, her other hand up in defense. I looked up, tears on my cheeks but defense in my face. I tensed, bracing for an attack.

Averyn stood in the doorway, eyes bright and face flushed in anger. His chest was trembling from his racing breath, "Tonight," he snarled, "Tonight you fight the Manscorpion. You don't leave the field until it is dead or you are. Get yourself ready had better be in the arena before I am or I will have you hanged from the palace wall for the entire city to mock!." He paused for a moment before taking a step inside, his hands made into fists at his side, "Do you understand me?"

Yutella took a breath to argue but I put a hand up and on her side. She glanced down at me and I shook my head. She let out her breath in an angry huff and looked away from us both.

_I will be there._

Averyn lifted his chin and narrowed his eyes. His lips pursed and then he nodded, whirling around and leaving the room. He shut the door so hard it bounced back open.

Yutella spat curses as she stomped around the room. I slid form under the covers to dress and stretch.

"This is wrong, this is unfair! He can't actually expect you to fight again now!" She threw her hands up in the air. I smiled and took her hand.

_Get the sword of light for me and the shield and meet me at the arena? Please Yutella._ She looked at me, her eyes watering.

"How can you be so...even after everything..." She wiped her face and hugged me tightly, "Kym better have reasons for why she's allowing this...because it is not _fair_."

I patted her back and nodded. Resolve was already hardened in my chest, though, and I was just trying to push away the events of the last few hours. I wondered, briefly, why Jarom's words had not saved me, but I knew he had done his best.

"You should be resting!"

_I know...now go Yutella._

She sighed again and pulled away. "I'll go get your sword..." She walked out of the room, her hands balled into angry fists at her sides.

I finished dressing and washed my face before hurrying down the hall in the other direction to the arena entrance. The hall was barely lit now, and filled with darkness. An ominous mood overcame me, and I tried not to think about how the hair on the back of my neck was standing on end or how the shadows were making my heart race. At the doorway, I stood in complete darkness, looking at the wood that looked black to me. I had a brief moment to breath and closed my eyes.

There were footsteps behind me and I turned enough to see Yutella trotting down the hall towards me. The sword produced a dim golden light in her hands and the mirror shield reflected all light across its surface. When she stopped in front of me, I took my weapons and strapped the shield to my arm. I smiled, _Here I go again..._

"Link...please be careful." She was worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. I could only see her face from the glow of my sword, and it cast an eerie light on my friend, "Please...I've a terrible feeling about this..."

I grinned, _Don't worry, I'm the Hero. I'll be alright._

She ruffled my hair and shook her head a little, "I still wish he hadn't done this..."

The door began to open behind me. Orange torch light crept under the spikes of the door. I stepped away from her. _It's time._

She nodded. I turned towards the entrance and waited a few moments before the gate was high enough I could walk through. As I stepped through I heard Jarom's voice call out my name behind me. I glanced back, but it was too late, I was inside and the door was closing.

* * *

I pushed away the thought of Jarom. I forged past the fear for Hyrule. I trudged through the anxiety of my children. I hefted my sword in one hand and gripped my shield in the other. I turned away from the heavy door and looked to the gaping darkness of the Monster entrance. The arena felt different in the twilight, with burning bowls of oil and wood on the top of the wall surrounding the sand pit. The crowd was just as large as any time before. The waved banners and screamed and cheered. I could see children in the audience with pretend swords, raising them high above their heads and shouting out my Coliseum name.

"Fair Hair! Fair Hair! Fair Hair!"

I glanced up to the covered booth where Averyn had sat in each previous battle. He sat there now, reclining on cushions and drinking from a golden goblet. He looked at me with such anger and fire in his eyes, I stepped back a little in shock. What had been done to make him hate me so in such a short time?

He raised his goblet and called, his face red, "Release the Beast!"

I heard a metal clang echo from the monster gate and braced myself, holding up my shield and crouching behind it. I heard shouting and then the crunch of bone and squirt of flesh and blood. Lurching out into the darkness and the sand emerged the eight legged monster I had crippled before. Its human shaped torso, head and shoulders gave its main body six feet above the rest of its red, scorpion body. In one clawed hand it held half of a man, his legs dangling limply and the top of the torso opened like a fleshy and freshly squeezed berry. My stomach lurched at the sight. The beast rose up to its full height, tail rising up above his head and turning to face me. It snarled and flexed its other hand. I heard a crunch and a pop. Something flew at me and I sidestepped it.

A quick glance to my side revealed the item was an eyeball. I swallowed and turned my attention back to the manscorpion. It roared and threw the body aside. Each shift in the creature's step, the shell that surrounded him clicked and snapped. Its tail swished in the air, a bead of poison on the end of the stinger. Then it lowered its head and, to my astonishment, began to speak. "You with your crippling blade..." it's voice grated and made goosebumps rise on my arms. The way its mouth opened, showing needle like teeth and extending the jaw as if the lips wer pincers, gave me the feeling that such a creature was never supposed to be able to speak, "So thin. So tiny. You shall die. I shall pop your chest like a cherry and feast upon your blood." It flexed its fingers. Its hard legs shifted and spread out. "I will use your body as food and pleasure!" It screeched, "I will kill you!"

It remembered me, from that one encounter it remembered me. It roared again, the lower jaw unhinging and revealing discolored fangs amidst its pointed teeth. It was a blood chilling call and I shuddered behind my shield. This was not going to be so easy... with a shell like that, it was going to be hard to pierce. I gripped my sword tightly, and it flashed as if it were trying to reassure me.

In the next moment, the monster raced at me, hands outstretched and mouth open. I kept my shield up and edged back and away, dodging it, but just barely. I kept close, trying to find an opening but there was none. It attacked, alternating between clawes and stinger and the front barbed legs.

I was so focused on the creature that I rolled back into a wall, stunning myself for a moment. I gasped and blinked, my vision blurring. I brought the shield up barely in time to hold back a stab of its foreleg. My arm twisted and the shield skidded the leg down, where it gouged through the outside of my thigh before slamming into the sand and staining it with my blood. I hissed between clenched teeth and pulled my leg closer against my body.

I huddled under the shield as it pounded the hard edges of its legs down against me. Each blow sent shivers up my arm, numbing it like never before. There was a rhythm to the pounding, however, as though it could not lift both forelegs off the ground for an extended period of time. It would attack three times in a row, pause and then once more, before it paused, shifted and began again.

During that second pause, I rolled. I pushed off the wall, tucked my arms close, wary of my sword, and rolled under it. As I got to my feet on the other side. It screeched again, its torso twisted around to look at me with fury in its eyes. It gripped the wall and used it to turn, placing its legs in so aggressively they dug furrows into the stone. I swallowed, grateful my shield was made of a better quality material to withstand such brutality.

As it faced me, I shook out my shield arm to try and regain feeling whilst I prepared to fight. Continual defensive behavior would only wear me out and get me killed in this battle. I shifted my left foot back, gripped my sword tightly and then lunged foreward. I raced towards it. Sometimes the only way to discover a weakness was to attack.

I could feel the blood from my wound dripping down my leg, but it was nothing compared to injuries I had gotten in my days in Hyrule. I attacked as best as I could, dodging legs and claws. My sword, sharp and powerful, could find no purchase on his hide. It skittered and sparked and couldn't cut it at all.

Panting, I backed away, holding my shield up and looking over the shining red edge of it. Sweat gathered on my back and across my forehead, even though night was coming on with the cooler air. I wiped my arm across my forehead and licked the sweat from my lips. I had to get past his armor...somehow...

"Enough of this...play!" Up swung his tail, down crouched his head and shoulders. His tail swung through the air, slicing down at me. I bent my knees low, bracing more of my leg against the ground to keep from being knocked over from his attack. The stinger struck my shield, venom splattering out and oozing all over the metal. A hissing filled my ears as the metal began to crumble under the acidity of the venom. The shield grew lighter as a hole was eaten away through the middle. I struggled to pull it off my arm, barely escaping the drip of the venom. I looked on in horror as the metal disintegrated into a puddle of silvery liquid.

A sickly chuckle came from the creature, but as it sneered, an idea came to me. Tucking my tongue between my lips, I gripped the sword with two hands and ran forward. I ducked under a claw and rolled out of the path of the stinger. My blood was rushing in my veins, my heart pounding as I knew exactly what I had to do now. I leapt up, pressed a foot upon the back of the scorpion as a kick off and landed on the wall surrounding the sandy area of the arena. I twirled my glowing blade and smirked at the scorpion. Everything had a weakness.

The manscorpion clattered its way towards me, racing at me with mouth open and hands reaching out. I put my sword under the opposite side of the bowl of oil and, as he neared me, I flipped it.

Burning oil seared a path across the air, a burning light that splattered across the face and chest of the monster. It screamed, the shell bubbling up and began clawing at itself in an attempt to get it off. It shrieked again, its carapace was becoming misshapen, boils were growing under the softening skin. It clawed out at me, but the oil had half blinded it and I was able to run along the wall. It clawed after me.

I stuck my sword in the mortar of the wall before I dropped to my knees and grabbed a second bowl of oil. I lifted it high above my head, looking down at the monster I waited for it to meet my eyes. The tail rose, as did its face. It hissed. I shifted one foot back and stared him down, _No one will use me for pleasure and get away alive!_ I threw the oil. The edge of bowl slammed against the creature's forehead, flipping it over and splashing the flaming oil down its back.

The monster reared back, its forelegs leaving the ground as it scattered sand in its retreat. I grabbed my blade, glowing bright with my conviction, and jumped down from the wall. I twirled the blade, advancing on the boiling monster before me. I took a few quicker steps and then I was racing towards it, sword upraised. It attempted one last attack with its stinger, striking down at me. I was moving too fast to roll away, so I did my best to duck. I felt the edge of the stinger scrape down my back from shoulder to waist, but it didn't hurt. I lunged and buried my sword in to the hilt in the middle of it's chest. It coughed blood as my weight made the blade slide down through its body and partially out.

I lifted myself up and braced my feet on it's forelegs. The shell was melting, its faced deformed from the oil. He was still aflame as well. I pushed with my legs and pushed the sword up and through the top part of its chest. Blood sprayed from the wound. A claw flailed in the air and the other clawed down at my arm and shoulder. He stopped moving when my sword reached his neck. The legs began to falter under the lifeless weight. My sword lodged in his spine and I could not twist it out.

Grunting, I pushed off of him, trying to get my sword out...but my arms were going numb and I kept loosing my grip. My tongue was heavy in my mouth and my vision was doubling. I tried to wipe a hand on my tunic and grab the hilt again, but couldn't tell which one was the real one. My footing slipped and I fell to the sand. Dazed and with a growing pain spreading up from my back, I could not roll away when the manscorpion began to fall. I tried to curl up, to defend my children, but, with tears in my eyes, I was too numb to move at all.

My breath was shallow. Time slowed as my vision darkened. All I could see was the dark red of the manscorpion and the bright red of the burning oil. I closed my eyes, my heart sinking. The creature fell and...

* * *

**_And...?_** oh heavens what could it be :3

Reviews, my lovelies, reviews.

I want to know how this makes you feel :3


	37. Through the Eyes of the Guilty

Disclaimer: No I do not own rights to Zelda stuff. I am just a fan and this is all non profit and for teh lulz.

Before A/N: **uh omg guys some softsmut for you**, courtesy of awesomeness, me, and because i promised someone i would. also, i wrote that part for valentines day. also, it was my birthday two months ago and i meant to post it then as present to myself? but what the hay, its here now. and aren't you glad i didn't do an April Fool's post? i almost did, thats almost what this was.

**Minor warning here: this one jumps about a bit. It's basically last chapter from Jarom's perspective, so read accordingly ? lol whatevs iluguys still :3**

* * *

**Chapter 37: Through the Eyes of the Guilty**

The door swung open and I saw Link step out. I grinned at him. I had _known_ that he would be victorious against the vampire caged in that room. Yet as I saw his pale face and shaking limbs, I knew also that there was something wrong. The smile faded from my face as I looked on with concern, "Link?"

He looked at me, head shaking and eyes so wide the whites swallowed his blue irises and pinprick pupils. _Goddess Bright... Twins! _Then, as I watched, his eyes rolled back in his head and his knees buckled underneath him.

"Link!" I practically jumped across the small area to grab him before he hit the ground. His thin body lay heavy and limp in my arms. His sword clattered to the ground and his sheild was cold against my skin. I tugged it off of his back and let it fall too. His head turned to the side and I slowly lifted him up.

The guards looked on, leaning on their spears in curiosity, "What happened?" Azra whispered, "Is he okay? Is he bleedin?"

"Did he kill it?" Fallon asked, "Did he kill Louie?"

"He wouldn't have gotten out alive otherwise...now help me with his weapons, I've got to carry him back down to his room." I grunted as I tucked his hands across his chest and held him against mine. His legs swung a little as I lifted him up. My heart began to pound as he lay against me. Azra put her spear aside and jumped to help. Shetook the sword and sheathed it, wrapping the leather container around my chest and strapping it down.

"Thanks..." I shifted my shoulders a bit and then nodded to them, "I hope you two get off Averyn's guard duty list."

Azra waved her hands at me, "Shut up. You know we'd just get back on again soon enough. Get him to bed, poor thing looks exhausted..."

"Too bad the Gov won't spare a doctor for him. He looks like he needs one..." Fallon grumbled.

I gave them a half smile. I wasn't too worried, he didn't look hurt... just so tired. I turned then, and headed carefully down the stairs with my precious, golden haired warrior in my arms.

* * *

At the bottom of the stairs my legs were trembling from the weight of Link's unconscious body. A little sweat had broken out on my forehead and down my back even though it was night. It felt like he had grown heavier on the descent, his head hanging down on my arm and his limbs dangling uselessly. I gritted my teeth and shifted my grip.

It was my fault that he was here in this mess in the first place, I wasn't going to let him go now. I was the only one who could support him now. I was the only one here to carry his burden when he couldn't bear it. I cradled him in my arms, and with renewed strength, I continued across the grounds we had walked over together only a short while ago.

A pair of guards walked by, nodding to me as they passed. I smiled a little, they were so used to seeing me carrying all manner of things... I shook my head a little and continued on my way. At the door to the coliseum, the guards there gave me a grin and opened it up. "Good to see Fair Hair lived," the older man, Arul chuckled, "he's skilled, taking out such a devil."

"Wouldn't guess it, looking at him now..." said the other guard, a young man named Nave. "he's so little and thin...like my kid sister."

Arul laughed heartily. "Its the pure looking ones that slay the worst demons boy! They're the angels of the Goddess," he winked.

Nave leaned in towards me, peering at Link's sleeping face, "Angel of the Goddess, huh?"

The old man smirked and glanced up at me. "Let's let them pass. Poor boy looks worn thin. He needs a better bed than those diseased ones in the coliseum..." he jerked his finger back at the open door way.

I frowned and shifted Link in my arms, "It will be Averyn's decision on that. I only do as much as I can, now." Nave gave me a solemn look and Arul sighed and shook his head. "Thanks for the door," I murmured as I walked past.

The hallway was dark, besides the few and far between torches, designating that it was after the designated sleep time. By now I had memorized the way to his room, from all the times I had walked past or gone in. I let my gaze fall from my path to his face. As we walked, the lights moved over his face, softening his sleeping expression. My heart ached as I carried him to a room that didn't deserve him.

I stopped in the dark hall, where his face was lit only on the side from the orange glow. I lifted him up and pressed his face against my shoulder, holding him close. My heart broke, and I had to close my eyes and hold my breath to push the emotion away. None of that could help him now...

Letting out the breath slowly, I began to walk again, more determined. There had to be _something_ else I could do to help him. I set my teeth and then, suddenly, before my mind realized it, I was stopped inside of his room.

I looked around the dark room and lay him down on the bed. I gently took off his sandals and washed the dust from his feet. I tucked the shoes away and then pulled the thin blanket over him. I sat on the side of his bed, my hand on his arm, watching him sleep.

I stroked his soft skin and smiled, looking down at him. It was unreal, seeing him like this. His sleeping face contained nothing but peaceful bliss on it, no lines of worry or pain creasing his pale skin. His arms were so thin and smooth, it was amazing he could swing his weapon like that.

Now that he was here, resting, my worry lessened. I had a good feeling that he would recover with some rest and I felt exhausted myself. I pulled the seat closer to the bed and folded my arms against it. I could stay for a while, I thought, and watch him sleep in peace. I propped my chin up in my hand and smiled at him, watching over him.

Before long, however, I fell asleep, sitting at his bed.

* * *

It was so warm here. I could feel the sunlight on my skin without even opening my eyes. I smiled and stretched a little and that's when I knew I wasn't alone, just as it should be.

When I opened my eyes, what I saw only made me smile more.

Link was curled up on his side, his fists tucked under his chin and his eyes squeezed shut. His messy blonde hair was in his face and his long tapered ears drooped in his sleep. My heart began to pound in my chest. The sunlight pouring in through the window lit his pale skin and made his hair shine. I was stroking his bare skin before I knew it, running my fingers down from his jawline to his neck and onto his rounded shoulder. I drew the linen sheet down from his arm, revealing more and more of his skin. He slept so soundly, for all my touching.

I hesitated as he stirred and shifted in his sleep. Then slowly, as if I were in a dream, he opened his blue, blue eyes.

The next thing I knew I rolled him onto his back and I kissed him. He lay back in surprise, eyes wide and mouth open. Then I slid my tongue into his and he moaned. The sound vibrated from him and into me and made my heart stop for a second. A shudder rippled up through his body and his hands burst into action, reaching up and grabbing ahold of me by the shoulders. He kissed back and it was bliss.

I melted into the heat of his skin and under the warmth of the sun. His fingers spread over my skin, warming up my body in more than one way. I pressed against him, and he against me. I wasn't surprised to find our bodies as bare under the blankets as the day we were born, but he seemed to be and gasped as I pressed more of our skin together. His back arched and now that our kiss was broken I could see the darkest of blushes on his cream colored cheeks.

He looked up at me with his pupils so huge there was more black in his eye than blue. I shifted over him and he let out a soft cry, turning his head towards the window. His hair spilled out over the pillow, the dark cloth in contrast with his shining hair. I lowered my head and my mouth moved down his skin, making marks and making him squirm. He twisted and dug his fingernails into my scalp. His body shifted and moved, his legs spread open and I took that moment to kneel between them.

There was that whine I seemed to remember, and soon after his hips were moving and his mouth opened in his silent begging. I knew what he wanted, and so did he, his eyes staring and his fingernails clawing at me. He jutted his hips against me and squirmed on the bed. I pushed back against him, sliding in and out and panting with each thrust. He was so hot inside and so tight. Each time I pushed in deeper, he gave a lustful cry and twisted his body on the sheets. His legs folded around me and clenched, pulling me deep inside. He rocked against me and I against him, leaning forward over his nude body. I looked into his wide blue eyes and they screamed my name in pleasure, his face flushed and his mouth open for gasping breath.

I bent down and kissed him again, sucking on his lips and tongue and making him squirm and moan. It was so easy to move my mouth down to his neck and kiss him there, as he clung to me and his clenching made little star-bursts appear behind my eyelids. I groaned loudly and pushed in deep. He somehow knew it was time and arched his back, pressing into me before, together, we climaxed in the bright morning light.

Afterwards, I lay half on top of him, and mostly still inside of him and touched his cheek with my hand.

He looked at me, his blue eyes half closed and warm with satisfied lust and I saw there these words; _Jarom...I love you._

* * *

"Jarom?"

I jerked upright, and in doing so, fell backwards off the stool I had fallen asleep on. I lay on the floor, dazed and staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling.

"Shh!" It was Yutella who stood over me. "You'll wake Link."

I opened my mouth to tell her he was probably already awake and then blushed darkly and looked away. Never before had a dream been so insistant that it was reality... I nodded and got to my feet, looking around a bit. I had a feeling that I was in the wrong place and everything about this place was wrong. There was supposed to be a big window by the bed and the bed itself was supposed to be soft and large and made for two...

The only thing that was right in this room was that Link was asleep and he and I were in the same room together. I ran a hand through my hair and then wiped my face with it, "Goddess spare me..." I murmured.

"Hmm?" Yutella glanced to me from the side of the bed. "What was that?"

"I swear She puts things in my head when I dream..." I replied, "not just dreams but...glances into a future that could be..."

Yutella smiled and nodded, "That sound about right. The Goddess is invested in Link. She has him woven deeply into Her plans and guides his step carefully. I'm sure, that if you are recieving messages from Her as well, that She has you incorperated into Her ideas."

"Ah...well..." I cleared my throat and looked away. That didn't explain why She had to put _those_ kinds of images in my mind right now.

There was a knock at the door and I went over to answer it quickly. I pulled it opened and found a messenger. The boy was probably no more than 12, but children did make some of the fastest messengers. "Yes?"

"Master Jarom?" the kid held out a package, "The guards said that you would be in Fair Hair's room so I brought this package to you here." I took it from him and then signed the pad of paper he had. He looked beyond me into the room, "Is 'e all right?"

I nodded and smiled, "He's just tired. He slew a vampire in the night."

The boy stared at me and then looked to Link again in amazement. He backed away, "Well sir, thank you sir! Have a good day, sir."

I chuckled as he ran off down the hall. I stepped back into the room and closed it back up.

Yutella was perched on the stool, her arms folded on her lap and her legs crossed at the knee, "What did you get?"

"Not sure." I pulled out a slim blade from my boot and sliced open the box. Inside lay several neat packages and a letter on top. I took it out and read over it and then chuckled, "Well well, look at this. It says; 'All you had to do was say that this was for Yutella. Send her our love and the Goddesses Blessing for us.' "

"What?" Yutella blinked.

"The tea that you like so much, the one you haven't had..." I went and sat at the only other available seat in the room and handed her the box and the letter. She read it with a smile and then lifted one of the packages up and sniffed it.

"This is it!" She beamed, "Jarom you are a magic man!"

I laughed a little, "No no, I just know how to get things and I'm well liked." I waved my hand in dismissal. "You should make some of the tea up..."

She grinned, "Sure I will, and we can talk about Link...I'm sure you're curious to know more about him..."

I cleared my throat, "Yes...well..."

She stood. "Watch over him a bit longer, I'll go get this made and bring us back some. Don't wake him now!" She gave me a suggestive wink and walked out of the room with the box and a giggle.

Sighing, I turned to look at the sleeping hero. I put my hand on his arm and then smiled, someday...there would be a soft bed made for two and a big window to go with it...

* * *

"Then let me help you make a selection, Lord Averyn," I stepped towards him, reaching out and putting my hand on his arm. Averyn smiled at me, turning his head and lifting his chin in that way he would when he was trying to lure in a lover. He'd done it to me many times, but I knew better than to fall for any of his plying ways.

That, however, did not mean I couldn't use them to my advantage...

I took Averyn's arm and led him from the small room, leading him down the hall. He wrapped his arm tightly around mine and smiled at me, "You know that the people like to see him fight, we should just give them what they want. Especially since it's a finale tonight... I want them to crave the coliseum while I'm gone..."

"And you are absolutely right, they should get a grand finale, but I think you've been over exposing Link. If they get too much of him too fast, they will tire of his miraculous battles," I explained, ignoring the way he leaned against me as we walked.

He gave a little sigh and shook his head, "That is true.. I hadn't considered it..." He patted my arm, "You're so smart, Jarom...and so wise to know these things..."

I nodded a little, taking it as the near empty flattery he often spoke. "You could test out the Man-Scorpion...it has healed well and seems vicious. We have some of those older fighters waiting anxiously, you know that if we let them sit too long they become restless and violent."

"I hadn't considered that. How big did you say that beast was again?"

"Easily double the size of any tall man, and with the armor on its skin it weighs several tons at least... Besides, it is powerful and strong enough to fight many men at once."

Averyn tapped his chin in thought, walking beside me towards the stable entrance. "I could have some men on horseback, the people always love a good horse riding battle... maybe have them racing before hand and let loose the beast..." He gave a nasty little smile as he looked off into the distance. "Some of the weaker battlers, and some of the newer ones, so we'd be sure to get blood. Fair Hair is very poor when it comes to providing us with his blood..."

I blinked. For a moment my mind was in the desert.

It was the first time I'd laid eyes on Link, parched and dirty and alone in the sands. With blood.

It had been splattered across his front, but proved not to be his once he'd been washed up and given new clothing. I stopped short. That was quite a while ago...Had that been about the same time?

"Jarom?" Averyn's questioning voice brought me from my thoughts. He was standing, facing me. "Jarom, what were you thinking of?"

"Oh, nothing my Lord, I was merely distracted by your beauty..." I gave a light smile and bowed slightly.

Averyn narrowed his eyes and put his hands on his hips, "I tolerate your light hearted false flirting because I find it endearing that you would flirt with me so when you clearly do not desire me, but when you lie to me Jarom and cover it with this little play of words, I am disgusted by you. Tell me honestly what you have thought of, or I shall have you thrown with the novices into the pit with the scorpion." He poked his finger into my chest as he spoke.

I hesitated. What could I say? I was caught off guard by his revelation. I hadn't believed he knew what I did. I was wrong, so wrong. "I ..."

"Speak, Jarom!" Averyn snapped, "You try my patience!"

"But it was nothing of importance! You should not worry yourself with my thoughts." I desperately fought for him to forget the matter, "Please, let us continue on our way..."

"Tell me. Now." Averyn growled, his eyes flashing, "I do not appreciate this delay. It only shows that what you have to say means more than you know."

"When...when I found Link in the desert...I was just remembering how I had found him. He was sheltered poorly from the sun, in dirty...blood stained clothing. Clothing fashioned much like Yutella's...Gerudo made clothing. The blood..." I looked down and muttered the rest, "The blood was not his blood."

"The blood was not his blood..." Averyn repeated slowly, his mouth forming the words as if they were strange to him. "Not his..." His eyes began to grow wide, and he reached up with trembling hands. "It was _not_ his blood?" He grabbed the front of my tunic and began to shake his fists, hitting my chest. "He stabbed him. That skinny little whore stabbed _my_ Ganon!" he shouted at me.

I grabbed a hold of Averyn, "Lord Averyn, please, be calm... be rational...We don't know for sure if it was him."

"Yes it had to be! His lady gerudo's wouldn't harm a hair on the head of their precious king! Link stole his heart and then stabbed him for it! Oh I'll kill that little whore!" Averyn snarled. His eyes were wild and angry, his lips twisting into a terrible scowl as he fought to get past my arms. "Let me go, Jarom, let me go and get vengance for my love!"

"No. I won't let you hurt him!" I retorted, holding him tightly.

Averyn grew very still very suddenly. He looked up at me, his dark eyes fixed to my face. "No..." he breathed, "No..."

"That's it, calm down..." I tried to soothe him with my tone. "You don't need to get upset about this and hurt him needlessly..." I cautiously relaxed my arms from around him.

That was when he tore himself from my grip, staggering away and looking at me like a monster caged too long, "He got to you too. He just takes whatever he wants, doesn't he, just takes you and takes Ganon and takes the love of my people!" Averyn shook his head, "He cannot live for what he's done to me!"

"Averyn!" I took a step towards him. His voice rose as he continued, "Don't you come a step closer to me! Guards...Guards!"

Footsteps began to approach. I held up my hands, "He hasn't done anything to you!"

"Yes he has, the little thieving whore has taken both of the people I ever loved but refused to love me back the same way! Ganon never took me in, cared for me or brought me to his people but he has with Link! And you, you don't care one whit about my safety, but you'll fight me for his!" Averyn was half screaming now as guards approached. "Guards, take him to the monster vault and make him bring the scorpion to the arena! I want him to see his little golden haired whore die at the hands of that beast!"

"No! My Lord, you said you wouldn't!" I cried as they came to my sides, "You can't do that. He needs to rest, please, please Lord Averyn!" They grabbed my struggling arms and began to lead me down the hall.

He smirked at me, that tinge of crazy still there around his eyes, and lifted his chin. "I will go tell your little _pet_ his new fate..." He began to laugh as I was half led, half dragged down the hall to the vault.

I hung my head, after a while, What had I done? I had doomed him.

My heart ached in my chest and tears pressed to the back of my eyes. I wasn't going to be able to say goodbye...

* * *

I ran down the halls, sliding around corners and desperately trying to go faster. At last I was in the dungeon hall where the contenders would enter through. The door was open, pouring in light, and there was Link's dark figure against the light, being swallowed in it... "Link, Link!" I called, reaching out. I saw him glance back at me, a flash of curious, tired blue eyes, and then he was gone and the heavy wood sank into the sand. I finally stopped, leaning against the door. I hit my fist uselessly on it, panting for breath. "No...Goddess, this can't be happening...You can't let this happen..." I muttered holding my face in his hands.

"It was you."

I jerked, looking up. Yutella looked at me with her arms folded. "What?"

"It was something that you did that made Averyn change his mind, isn't it?"

I hung my head, "Yes..yes it was me, I'm so sorry..."

She sighed a little, "Link will be fine. He is always fine. He has the Goddess looking out for him, he could've used more rest...especially in his condition..." she shook her head and looked away, "What happened?"

"We were talking and...and before I knew it, I had told Averyn about the blood I found on Link's clothing when we found him..." I explained, "And he... he figured out that it must have been Ganon's blood, that Link stabbed him when he ran away."

Yutella sighed, "It was probably only a matter of time. We can only pray now that Averyn will not tell Ganon that Link is here...trapped and unable to go anywhere."

I jumped as there was a thump into the wall behind me. I turned around and looked to the wood. "We should be watching, to make sure he's okay..."

"You know that I cannot watch from the seats where the citizens are. This is where I will remain until he needs me or until it is over," Yutella replied, "And he will be fine. He is a hero, he will always survive."

I nodded to her, but I had my doubts. The scorpion was a monstrous beast with a hard shell that defied a blade's edge. Link had gotten lucky before when he'd nearly crippled the beast, it's shell had been softened with oil during the process of its capture. I put my hand on the wood door and closed my eyes. I began to pray for him, pray that the Goddess would give him strength and cunning and save him from the results of my foolish behavior...

I opened my eyes in horror as I heard screaming. It was loud, making the door vibrate, and then there was another, higher pitched scream. I flinched as I felt vibrations of scratching through the wood.

Then, moments later, I heard a long cry, the cry of a man racing and attacking. I gasped in the breath I had forgotten to take, Link was still in there, fighting. I waited, on the edge of movement. Yutella appeared beside me, waiting for the door to open.

When the cheering began I could hear something strange, something odd in the way it sounded. The wood opened and with it gone I could hear more clearly. There were very few cheers of victory. Yutella ducked under the door and was racing across the sand in seconds. I could hear the people screaming in horror and concern. I stepped through, dazed, my mouth dry and my eyes unblinking. They were screaming for someone to do something, to check on him, get him free. I saw the burning red flesh and crumpled body of the scorpion. I began to run over, my head spinning. I could see a leg, maybe another foot sticking out from under the monster. Yutella was frantically pulling at the scorpion, tears pouring down her face, "No, Goddess, You said he would be fine! No no no, Link!"

And then I was beside her, lifting the red body up and struggling to get Link from underneath. There was blood and oil and fire everywhere and made us loose our grip. Soon, though, we were not alone. People climbed down and helped pull the creature off until, at last, Yutella dragged Link out from underneath.

She put a hand to his neck and then over his mouth and then let out a choking sob. She looked up at me, tears in her eyes, blood smeared on her face and she whispered, "He's not breathing and his heart...Jarom his heart!"

I couldn't speak. I could barely think, barely remember to keep breathing and how to keep standing.

Then she was cradling Link against her chest and wailing in her tears, "No! Goddess, Why!"

Someone shouted for a doctor, others joined the shout. I numbly stepped back, leaning against the dead monster for support. My eyes rose up the walls and found Averyn's seat. It was empty.

The damned fool hadn't even stayed to see what he had done...

I closed my eyes and began to cry.

He couldn't breathe.

There was no heart beat.

And the dream that I had envisioned just this morning would never be...

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**herpderp reviews are nice. ilu guys :3 **


	38. Change the Angry Mind and Jealous Heart

Disclaimer: No I do not own rights to Zelda stuff. I am just a fan and this is all non profit and for teh lulz.

haaaay guys~ didja miss me? Well I missed you. Here's a whopper of a post~ Merry christmas, happy new year and happy last possible year alive? idk. Anyway. lessseee warnings for this~

**Warnings: Gore. Smut (ish, not super descriptive) Ganon makes an appearance. Also; This is ****_AVERYN's_ perspective. OC's ERRYWHERE**

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**Chapter 38  
To Change the Angry Mind and Jealous Heart **

* * *

I sat on the edge of my cushioned seat, my fingers clenched tightly around each other as I stared forward. For a long, agonizing moment, I could not breathe. He stood on the scorpion's front legs, thrusting his blade up into the creature's chest. It screamed horribly, the flaming oil searing it, deforming its hard shell into something softer, weaker. The whore was going to survive this; somehow, he always survived! My fingers tightened until my knuckles were white.

I could see the tip of his white blade sticking out on the other side of the scorpion's body, through the spine, and as I watched I saw his grip slip and fumble around the hilt of the blade. Could he...could he not pull it out? The monster was shaking and convulsing in its legs. It was leaning forward... His hands couldn't grip the blade. Had he been stung with the poison tipped tail and I had not seen? Link fumbled then, and his footing slipped. He fell on his back onto the sand, his arms falling out to the side uselessly. The fall seemed so slow to me, I could see his eyes blink in confusion and then his body bounce slightly as he hit the ground, his head turning to the side. Above him the monster leaned forward, the sword shining brilliantly in the middle of its back. It had its head up, foam and blood and oil on its face and chin, dribbling from its mouth. Its tail whipped around like a headless chicken, before digging into the sand, twisting and flipping it into the air. Finally the front legs gave out and the monster collapsed onto his thin little body, splashing blood out onto the light sand. The fight was over.

My vision was beginning to swim so I let out my captured breath. My body shook as I watched for any movement, leaning in further to catch everything. He did not pull himself out. He did not call out. He did not even twitch one partially exposed foot. I covered my mouth with one hand, choking on my giddy laughter. Had I done it? Had I killed him?

The doors were opening, people were shouting and screaming and all I could do was blink away tears of joy and gasp around silent laughter. There was the Gerudo woman, racing across the sand and Jarom, following her. I gritted my teeth then, smiling nastily. I hoped he held the dead whore in his arms and cried pathetically. That would teach him to turn from my proffered bed and loving embrace.

When she screamed out to the Goddess, and people began to shout for a doctor, I stood. He was dead. He had to be. I laughed and staggered away from my seat, leaving the arena. I had gotten the little blonde pet killed and broken Jarom's miserable heart! I grinned to myself, trembling from the rush of this, "And Ganon, my love, you are next..." I was alone as I went down the hall.

Thoughts whirled in my head as I walked. I would go to him, innocent and complacent. I would go doe-eyed and sweet. I would be the perfect little lover and capture the attention of his people. I would get his affection and be the whore's better, by taking Ganon's love. I would be what Ganon wanted, and show him I should have been his first choice from the beginning.

I took the steps and then down to the courtyard. There were horses there and men, a few mages and several doctors. I looked around, counting silently. A servant came towards me, "My Lord, in the arena we heard-"

"Shut up. We're leaving for the Gerudo Fortress. Where is my horse?" They brought to me my white mare and I climbed upon her back. She tossed her head and dug a fore hoof into the ground until I stroked her neck and murmured sweet nothings to her. "Is everyone here?" I looked around again, we were missing someone, but I wasn't sure who...

Bravae rode closer to me, mounted on his own long legged horse, "Healer Vera went into the arena, when she heard someone call for a doctor... She would not stay and wait, like the others."

I looked around; that was it, we were missing the only woman on our little healer's squad. I smirked, "Fine, we'll leave her. Let us go now, Ganondorf needs us...she can find her own way, as she says she's fond of doing." I urged my mare forwards and then nodded, "Come on men, we must hurry!" They followed Bravae and me out of the double doors and through the town towards the large gate out of town. I pulled the scarf from the saddle horn and tied it around my head, covering my nose and mouth and leading the way. Though I had never been there, I knew the way to his desert fortress as if the map had been tattooed upon my eyelids.

Under the soft silk I whispered, "Hold on Ganon, my love, I bring all the aid that I can..."

* * *

Well into the night, the doors of the fortress opened before me. There was a courtyard inside the high walls of sandstone, and it was filled with people. The Gerudo Thieves stood in the darkness; some holding torches to light the area and revealing just how many there were inside of here. The women stood silent, in clothing as black as pitch, with scarves draped from ear to ear to cover their faces from nose to chin. Their eyes sparkled and glinted in the torchlight like cats as we urged our horses into the courtyard. I dismounted first and approached the woman standing taller and separate from the crowd. Standing still as she waited, the flickering firelight added the movement of shadows on her eyes and making the long cloth tied around her waist glimmer. She was the only woman who wore her long hair down, curling around the shoulders in a way that softened the sharpness of her gaze. She was also the only one who wore a white scarf over her face instead of a black one.

"I am Lord Averyn; I got word of Ganondorf's injury and have brought all the help that I can." I put my hand over my heart and bowed slightly, "Please, allow me to contribute to your King's recovery."

She bowed and replied with a soft, somber tone, "We are grateful for your gift, Lord Averyn. Allow us to take care of your horses and provide you and your men with rooms. However, please be mindful of our laws, as they are in place for the safety of outsiders like you. Do not go anywhere unaccompanied and do not approach any one Gerudo woman alone. If you and your men can obey these simple rules, we will all be at peace with each other."

"We will do this," I replied. "We will do what we must to stay here and assist you and to assist Lord Ganondorf."

She nodded, looking at me with sorrowful eyes. Then she turned her head and gestured to her women. Silently they moved, their feet making nary a sound on the sand as they helped the men down and took away the horses and baggage. She turned her head the other way and moved her hand; the women broke into pairs to lead the men to their rooms. Then she turned to me and said, "I will take you to see Ganondorf now."

As she and another silent woman turned to walk with her, I followed, anxious to see him finally. They led me through a door into the fort itself. The halls were dimly lit by torches, and from the corner of my eye I seemed to catch glimpses of movement. Whenever I turned my head to look, however, the movement stopped and I could only see the glinting of the torchlight on the eyes of the women around us. I shivered and hurried after the women leading the way. As we turned a corner, I saw a light pouring into the hall from under a door. My heart fluttered, I hadn't seen Ganon in so long, too long...

They stopped on either side of the door. The taller woman who had spoken to me opened the door. I blinked in the light and stepped into the room.

The door shut slowly, with a solid, heavy click.

I stood, my hands behind me, pressed against the wood of the door, trying to contain my giddiness. He didn't know it yet, but the blonde little whore was gone, and whatever place he had within my mage's heart I knew I would step into. I gave him my most charming smile, though he wasn't looking at me yet, and stepped across the room.

I had never been inside of Ganon's bedroom before, but it was a place of my fantasy. The real thing seemed so much better than I had ever imagined. It suited him far better than any dream I had thought up for him. From the thick rugged furs on the floor, the draping of curtains at the window and the soft flame of the candles he would use to light such an intimate space. Everything wasn't exactly as I had pictured it, but then I knew better than to assume my fantasies would always be correct in every little detail. That hardly mattered to me, as I stepped up beside his bed, smiling in my softest way and reaching out to him.

At the sound of my step, Ganon looked up from the pad of paper he had been studying, "Averyn..." I smiled more and stopped at his bedside. I put my hand on his arm, stroking the warm skin and smiling even more. My heart was beating fast and I was so utterly happy to see him.

"You look better than I thought you would," I murmured, leaning in close, "I thought you would be more sickly or weak, considering your injury..."

Ganon looked at me with an expression in his eyes that I did not recognize, but I ignored that. He _did _look well; not sickly or gasping in pain as I had imagined. He was propped up with pillows behind his back and had no sweat on his forehead caused by his pain. I squeezed his arm slightly, but he did not move to hold my hand, as I imagined he would. I was his lover, after all, his world, as he had said before.

"Why are you here." It was no more a question than I was a virgin, but a cold demand with no affection towards me. The hardness in his gaze only grew more prevalent, making his dark eyes as hard as iron when he looked at me.

"When I heard about your injury, I knew that there had to be something I could do," I explained, smiling though I was upset he would behave such a way towards me. I wanted him to smile back at me. I wanted him to reach for me, cup my cheek and welcome me with a soft calling of my name. I had come for _him, _dammit, and I wanted him to realize that. "I brought my best mages and doctors for you, to help you get well."

He growled at me, lifting his lip in a sneer, "I don't need them and I don't need you. I am healing just fine."

I did frown at him now. That was not what I wanted to hear, "Nonsense. You are confined to your bed and I know that your women do not get the same kind of education or training that my healers do. You can't expect your Goddess to heal you every time." I put my hands on my hips, shaking my head with a frown, "You should do everything that you can before turning to divine help. And with you injured as you are, you cannot be expected to handle everything on your own. Even you are not that powerful, Ganon."

Ganon stiffened, gritting his teeth together. He muttered under his breath in the ancient tongue of his people, one I had never been able to study long enough to learn. I waited, frowning, knowing he was probably cursing at me. He was stubborn, and often ungrateful, but you had to love people despite their follies. No one was perfect all the time, not even my Ganon.

"Fine. Let your healers look at me, but I do not need you here, Averyn. Go back to your city and leave me be..." He looked away from me.

"I will not." I insisted, "I will stay right here until you agree I can help you with something." I crossed my arms and stood straight, looking at him and waiting for him to give in. He would give in, eventually, he always did. He always did as I wanted him to.

He gnashed his teeth together and ran a hand through his hair. It was growing out, getting longer and stuck out slightly when he put his hand through his hair. "Fine. There is one thing that you can do for me...since you have the man power and the social status." He looked back at me then, and I shivered at the hatred burning in his eyes. "I lost someone. He ran from me and I need him to return to me. He is your size with blonde hair and blue eyes. I need him brought back to me, unharmed, unmolested, and unscathed." He reached out and gripped my arm. "His name is Link, he's a stranger to the desert, and comes from Hyrule. He's just a little farm brat, but he's good with a sword and too naive to be safe on his own. Find him Averyn, and bring him to me here. That is what I need from you."

I paused trying not to chew on my bottom lip in worry. Shit, he wanted _Link_? Of all the things for him to ask me! I had just gotten rid of the whore and here he was again, being requested by my lover. What _was_ it with that little blonde haired, blue eyed boy? Cautiously I asked, "What if he's been hurt before I find him?"

I almost instantly regretted the question as Ganon's grip turned so tight and so vicious I could swear I heard my bone cracking under the pressure. I winced, sucking in a sharp breath between my lips. Ganon's voice was sticky sweet, but that did not cover the venom in his tone, "Bring me whoever has hurt him. If there is a single hair out of place upon his bright gold hair, I will skin alive the one who did it. If more than one person has hurt him, bring them all. I want to have everyone who ever did a thing to him brought to my dungeons. I will need something to distract me from my anger towards him until he is fit to burst. Once I have from him what he promised me." He gave a smile that made my stomach tighten in fear and my body ache in the agony of imagined pain, "Once I have that, well-" He sneered, "Eventually, after a few years, I'm sure there won't be much left of his mind or body to dispose of-" His gaze faded past me then, looking outward at nothing. His grip grew tighter still and I winced.

"Ganon-"

Suddenly his attention focused on me again and his hand moved up from my arm to my neck, "Look at what you've done, Averyn, what you've been able to make me say." his thumb stroked against my skin, rubbing up under my jaw as his fingers squeezed down hard. Panic swelled in my chest as air no longer could. "How do you do that? Make me reveal more than I should, more than you have any right to know as my little city bred whore."

I choked on words I couldn't say, tears in my eyes. My breath was cut off in my throat, and the only sound I made before I was silenced was a pained wheeze. I reached up with shaking hands and pulled on his wrist. My knees began to tremble, and I felt they would turn to jelly at any moment, leaving me suspended by his grip on my neck.

"You utter a single breath of my intentions- even if you speak in your sleep- and I will do worse to you than you can even imagine." His voice remained strong and vicious, even as my vision began to darken around the edges. My head was beginning to swim and I nodded, hoping that any submission would let him release me. "Such a good little pet." he chuckled, his lips twisted in a dark smirk, "So obedient. Tell me, would you like to raise a child with me? After he has had my perfect child, my brilliant legacy born, I'll need a pet mother for the babe. Think of that, Averyn, a child, not your own blood but of mine and the hero's. Perfect blood." He laughed loudly, releasing me, "I would have used you originally, but you are so tainted. Not to mention he has the Triforce upon his hand."

I dropped down to the floor, panting and gasping for breath, and touching my neck gingerly with my fingertips. What was he talking about? What child? And tainted? Me? Triforce? Who _was_ this Link? What the _hell_ was going on here!

He was laughing loudly and I could hear the insanity in his voice. "Get out, get out of here you worthless little slut, come back to me when you have something I actually want!" I cringed at his voice, cowering at the anger and the words. I crawled to the door and pulled myself up by the handle. "GET OUT!" Ganon bellowed, flinging the paper at me. I desperately pushed open the door and stumbled into the darkness of the hallway.

Tears streamed down my face, but my throat was too tight to sob. I closed the door and leaned against it, gasping and coughing. Everything I had believed -my complete ignorance!- and the things I had done because of those beliefs. I covered my face with my hands. I had killed Link. I had killed him and Ganon's fury would only be brought down on me once he knew.

I sank to the floor, feeling sick, my head swimming at the thought of what would happen to me.

"Oh Goddess, please, _please_ spare me his wrath!" I whispered hoarsely, shaking my head, "Goddess, please-"

A hand touched my head, smoothing over my hair and making me jerk my head up in surprise. I winced, as moving so quickly hurt my neck. I looked up to see the woman from before, kneeling before me with a small smile. Her white face scarf was unhooked on one side, leaving the white cloth to drop down along the side of her face, and letting me see the rest of her face which I had a sinking feeling I wasn't really supposed to. "Calm, Averyn," she murmured, her fingers tenderly sliding down my cheek and fluttering across my neck. I began to pull away but stopped as warmth spread out from her fingers, easing out over my neck. I swallowed, licking my dry lips and gaping at her in shock. The energy began to trickle down my neck, to my chest and also down my spine. The light from the magic blossomed in the hallway, lighting it with a constant, golden hue. Movement at the edges of my vision caught my eye and when I turned my head I saw women standing on either side of us, several feet between the two of us and the group.

"Averyn," I looked away from women lurking in the shadows to the woman before me. Her face was too bright to be human, her eyes wide and distant, yet piercing my soul. "Averyn, my little faithful boy," her voice had an echo that rang out, bell-like, half a breath behind her actual words. "You have transgressed against Me. You have put your own foolish desires and vain passions above the well-being of My other boy, My golden Angel. Why have you done this when I gave you signs of My favor to him?"

The light was growing, and Her hands touched my cheek as She searched my face. I could not look into Her face, into Her eyes. I hung my head, shaking it and staring at the golden light that dripped from Her hands onto the floor.

"I didn't-" I breathed, sobs bubbling up in my throat, "I didn't want to believe that You chose him over me! I didn't want to believe that You appeared to him to save him!" My vision blurred as tears poured down my cheeks. "No one- no one that matters to me _ever_ choses me first! I am always secondary, always lesser! Why is he so much better than I? Why does he get all the love, the attention, the care that I have always wanted, from the people that I want and care for? I'm sorry. I'm sorry I did not believe."

She did not force me to look up at Her, as I had feared, but instead pulled me into a tender embrace, holding me against Her chest. The light of Her magic grew so bright I closed my eyes and still saw it glowing bright behind my eyelids.

"My Averyn, you have been forgiven by Me. I care for you, My Averyn. I will always forgive you of your mistakes." Her fingers stroked my hair as I sobbed against Her. "For what you have done, I will not hold you responsible, however-"

I wiped my eyes and looked up, sniffing a little. She smiled at me, but there was such sadness, I was amazed that She was not also in tears. "Goddess, what is it?"

She cupped my cheek, "No matter what I forgive you of, once Ganon knows your actions he will treat you as he treated his mother. You will only be safe as long as he is ignorant of what you have done."

"What did he do to his mother?" I asked breathlessly.

She shook Her head.

"What did he do!"

"No. You must see it for yourself." She pressed a kiss to my forehead and I felt my eyelids grow heavy. "You will see it for yourself..." Her words echoed like cathedral bells in my ears.

"But I..." I could not hold my head up, but She rested it against Her body.

"You will see, with your own eyes, and know better what you can do..." Her voice soothed me and I found myself relaxing.

"You will know, but not now, rest my little Averyn," were the last words I heard before I slipped into sleep.

* * *

I woke with a start. My throat closed up, as I swallowed back a frightened cry. Sitting up rapidly and gasping, with sweat beaded on my face and my back. I touched my hand to my face. I had been having a dream that...

I could not remember it. There was nothing but a quickly fading fear that left me confused at where I was and embarrassed at waking with nearly a scream. Shaking my head to clear it, I decided to look around the room instead. I sat in a nice bed, smaller than my own of course and the couch and fireplace was part of the same room, with no division between them. Along the far wall were several stacked boxes, one open with a jar on top. The window was open, a small breeze bringing in the golden light of the desert and the scents of a kitchen somewhere below my room.

There was a knock at my door, drawing my attention. "Who is it?" I called out.

"Lord Averyn, you missed breakfast so we have brought you some to eat, may we enter?"

I licked my lips, suddenly feeling very hungry, "Yes. Come in!" I smiled, now this was proper treatment...

The door opened and two women entered, one with a tray and another with a pitcher. They brought over the tray to me. These two wore the more standard purple and gold and cream clothing of the Gerudo tribe, instead of the black I had seen them in last night. It was comforting, although they hid their smiling faces behind the purple scarves.

"Here you are, milord," the one carrying the tray said, bowing slightly. She brought over the tray to me, setting it on the bed like a small lap table, and uncovering the food. A glorious, mouthwatering smell rose from the comforting meal before me. There was a dish of meaty looking mash, red and with small beans in it, with a plate of fresh flat bread with sides of cheese and chopped greens. I instantly dug into the meal ripping up the bread and scooping the toppings onto it, chomping down.

The other girl poured me a tall glass of water and then a smaller glass of concentrated cactus juice and pulp from a wooden canteen hung around her hips. She grinned at me from behind her veil, her eyes sparkling, "Good morning, Lord Averyn. We hope you slept well." She had short hair that fell into her face slightly as she bent to pour the drink. Straightening up, she brushed her hair back behind her ear.

"Thank you, I did sleep very well." I replied, taking the glass and nearly draining it. This food was delicious and familiar to me, but it made me thirsty as hell. The woman chuckled and refilled my glass after I tipped the last of the water down my throat.

The long haired woman stepped back, resting the jug on her hip as she smiled at me. I gave a little smile back and then turned to the food once more. It was absolutely delicious and exactly what I had wanted to eat that morning. I could have done with lying in bed and having them feed it to me, but we can't get everything we want, now can we?

A knock at the door sounded as I was using my last piece of bread to swipe the last of the mash out of the shallow bowl. The short haired girl looked to me and I waved my hand. "Go ahead and let them in," I chomped on the last bite of food and washed it down with the dregs of my cactus nectar.

There were two more women at the door, one older with broad shoulders and hard eyes. She wore the classic dark purple and gold outfit that the other two wore, including the face scarf. The other woman had softer eyes and was wearing a white, flowing robe over dark blue billowing pants. She had more of a figure than the older one, and my eyes were immediately drawn to the roundness of her hips and thighs and her perfectly sized breasts. She had a body that was mouthwatering. I tilted my head to the side, looking up into her amused eyes and drank some water. "Hello, welcome to my suite."

The woman in white, who must have been their leader, as the two girls first here backed away to give her space, sat upon the edge of my bed and crossed her legs at the knee. "Good morning Lord Averyn," she said respectfully. "I trust you rested well?"

"Yes I did. And breakfast was also fantastic, thank you." I pushed the tray aside and moved to sit closer to her.

"Your doctors and mages have been meeting with Ganon almost continuously," she said, never looking away from me, "They have no word as of yet. He has made the request to have you keep from his room, he declares that you must go and do what he has commanded of you...lest you lose your head."

I felt the color drain out of my face and had to tighten my hand on my blankets to keep myself from reaching up to my neck. How had I forgotten? I had to go find a dead man and bring him to Ganon. That was impossible. I could do many things, but not such impossible ones like that.

The woman took the tray from the bed and held it out. The older lady she had come in with stepped forward and took it. "Thank you," The woman in white murmured and then linked her fingers together and put them on her knee. "You really needn't worry, my lord. Just relax. Take your time; there is no hurry for your departure." She tilted her head forward, a lock of bright red hair slipping out from behind her ear. "There was once a time when no action within these walls escaped his notice. But bedridden and with his magic poisoned with his fury, he can barely see past his own nose." She chuckled, her eyes crinkling and glinting brightly. I could see her smile under the scarf.

She reached out her hand and put it on mine, to my surprise, and squeezed it. "Relax, Averyn," Her tone softened as she dropped the title to my name. I didn't mind. She had such soft hands. The hands of a priestess, not a fighter. "You must stay here a few more days yet. It is not yet time for you to go. Don't worry about Ganon, he is still rather preoccupied."

I turned her hand over so the palm was up and looked down at it while I considered my options. I could flee now, as soon as I got out of the bed, and just keep running until I reached the edge of the world... Or I could wait here for a couple of days, hide form Ganon and in the care of the Gerudo women. I smiled as I slid my thumb over her palm. She had such lovely hands. They were not the calloused, heavy hands of a fighter, a man who knew only how to hold a sword, tug a rope, or swing an ax. The nails were trimmed and neat but not decorated as those of a high class whore. Nor did she submit to my touch completely, but closed her hand around my finger, as I began to trail a fingertip across the lines in her palm. These were the hands of a woman of strong will, but delicate. The hands of a priestess.

She watched me over the veil, her eyes curious as I looked up from her hand. I grinned at her, confidently asking, "Priestess? What is your name?"

The other women shifted, in the corner of my eye I could see one shift her weight and the other furrow her eyebrows. The eldest was the one who grumbled under her breath. However the woman in white simply nodded her head to me and murmured, "My name is Era."

"Era," I said the name again. It was short, and different than the names of the other Gerudo women. "That's an interesting name."

She chuckled, "Thank you." She gestured over to the twins standing together and said, "Annorella and Bernatella will be your companions while you stay, should you decide to explore the area. Do not hesitate to ask them for what you need."

"But I haven't even decided to stay yet!" I protested with a frown. I was really considering the run away forever thing. If I went now I might have a chance.

"Oh, you haven't?" Era arched an eyebrow. She leaned in a little, tilting her head to the side. Her loosely braided hair fell over her shoulder and onto her chest. "I was sure that you would choose to stay. Believe me, Averyn; you will do well to stay..." Her eyes flashed and her lips spread in a wide smile that I could see even under the thin veil. "Very, _very_ well."

I blinked in surprise and did not protest again as she slid her hand from mine and stood once more. Brushing her hands down the side of her robe to smooth it out she said, "Ladies, take care of him."

"It can't be easy," I said quickly. She stopped and looked over her shoulder at me.

"What can't be easy?"

"Having them take care of me. After what I did, had done, to him. To _Link_. You know what I've done, do they?" I frowned. I had seen the protective, caring way that Yutella had looked after Link. And the Goddess Herself had called him her angel, her chosen one. My hand clutched into a fist, twisting the sheets around my fingers. Chosen one. Hero. Angel. Champion. Was it the Triforce, as Ganon had said he had, that made him so special? He seemed so ordinary, well, ordinary looking for a Hyrulian with his brilliant blue eyes and bright golden hair. This could not be so!

I heard a step and looked up. Era stood beside me again. Her soft hands reached out and cupped my face in them, making me face her. I held my breath, and could not help but plead with my eyes, _please; I want to be important as well._ Softly she said, "We have no reason to hate you. Sometimes things, emotions and actions, can grow out of proportion and spiral out of your control. We cannot always predict how things will go for we are mere mortals. We have no true view of the future nor can we always guide it one way or another. For all that we strive; we are still incapable of not making mistakes. The Goddess forgives you, Averyn, and because we are Her followers and know of Her desire in this matter, we forgive you as well."

I let out a shuddering breath and closed my eyes, keeping the tears at bay. Relief filled my chest, pulling the tension from my shoulders and neck that I had not been completely aware of before. At least I had nothing to fear from the women here.

She then stepped back, bowed her head slightly, though she kept her eyes on my face. "Have a good day, Lord Averyn. I'm sure we will see each other again soon." There was a sparkling in her dark eyes and a smirk half hidden by the translucent veil. Then she turned and she left with the other, older, unnamed woman who carried the tray.

The twins looked at me in silence. I cleared my throat, thinking of something to say. Finally I decided on, "She's very," I hesitated, determining _attractive_ was the wrong word, "nice."

It was the right thing to break the silence. The girl with the short hair grinned and said casually, "You should have met her mother-"

"A woman so strong-"

"So swift-"

"And yet-"

"So compassionate." They ended together.

I chuckled. My assumption was correct, they were definitely twins. Though it really wasn't that difficult to tell. They had the same dark shade of skin, bright blue eyes and light reddish blonde hair. Truly the only difference between them was the length of their hair. "So which one of you is which?"

The one with the short hair laughed, "I am Bernatella."

The other one, with her long hair braided down her back and her hands on her hips gave a little wave, "I am Annorella. We are twins-"

"Discovered by Sukrabella-"

"That is Era's mother," Annorella added quickly.

"And brought here to be raised," Bernatella finished. "Era is like our little sister."

"However," Annorella frowned, looking away, "This does not mean-"

"That we feel like Ganon is our brother."

"He is very much our King." They said together, looking at me.

I worried the inside of my bottom lip as I digested this information. Sukrabella was Era's mother. Era was seen as a sister where Ganon was not? "Era and Ganon, they are siblings? So Sukrabella is their mother?"

Bernatella nodded, "Yes. Era is his younger sister. They are blood related to Sukrabella-"

"Who is from the bloodline of the first King and Queen."

"Though we do not have a Queen anymore. Simply a King and a High Priestess."

I blinked. Era was high priestess? And the mother- "What happened to Sukrabella?"

Their smiles faded, their eyes darkening. For a time they were silent, looking at each other. There were minute movements in their face as they had a silent conversation with each other. Finally Bernatella said to me, "You will find out what happened to her on your own."

"We are not supposed to say." Annorella spoke softly, "Era says the Goddess has declared that you must discover the truth with your own two eyes."

I frowned. What truth could there possibly be? I had seen enough _truth_ here. I knew how useless I was; to the Gerudo women, to Ganondorf, to my people. I was nothing. I closed my eyes and looked away.

The silence descended around us heavily, like a thick velvet curtain used to blot out the sunlight. Softly, one of the girls cleared her throat. I glanced over to see Bernatella ask me, "In any case, Lord Averyn, what do you wish to do today?"

I sighed and shook my head, pushing away the dark thoughts that clouded my mind. I gave a little smile. If there was anyone to think of meaningless things to do at a new location, it was I.

* * *

It was about dinner time when I was next alone. Darkness had settled after a warm, dusky twilight and the twins had left me alone, with a murmur for me not to move. I had felt fine with them going, until I saw Annorella's backward, over the shoulder glance and the worry in her eyes.

I stood alone in the hallway, fidgeting slightly as I waited alone. The only thing in this hallway besides the stairway back up and the exit at the far end was a single floor to ceiling tapestry and a door. The tapestry was of a nighttime oasis, with dark threads of the sky and a glittering silver-thread moon above a black pool of water locked in by the silver and white sand. It was a beautiful, old tapestry, and I cautiously ran my fingers over the threads, letting my fingertips follow the swirls in pattern. It was a masterpiece; utterly beautiful and the more I looked at it the more fond of it that I became.

As I was admiring the tapestry, I heard a distant sound. Frowning slightly, I looked away from the artwork and listened. There, faintly, I heard it again. But this time it stopped suddenly, as though cut off mid-way through. I turned completely around, looking around me. There was no one around, still. "Hello?" I called out, even though it felt a little silly.

Then it came again, long and rising in pitch. The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stood on end as I realized it was a scream.

And it was coming from behind the door, the only door, in the hallway.

Suddenly the exit opened up and I jumped, whirling around, heart pounding in my chest. The twins came through the door, smiling, though there was a glimmer of something hidden in their eyes. Bernatella hid it better, and walked towards me, smiling broadly, "The night air is not too cool tonight, would you like to dine outside with the others?"

I nodded slightly and met her half way. I wanted to get out of this hallway as soon as possible. Bernatella took one arm and Annorella took the other. They led me through the doorway and outside.

The courtyard was filled with people with blankets spread on the sand and bowls of flame lighting the area. I saw, far off to one side, the mages and doctors, the men I had brought with me, but there was a crowd of the Gerudos before them, asking questions, feeding them and taking their attention. The twins brought me to the other side, where some women were reclining on their blankets, eating and talking and laughing together. The three of us sat on a dark purple blanket, the girls on either side of me and pouring drinks and pulling food from a platter to give to me. It was an atmosphere I was very comfortable in, and even jokingly fed them as they fed me. I relaxed in their company and began to clap along with them when a pair of other women pulled out a set of drums and a tambourine and began to dance and play music.

"Is it often like this?" I asked after a sip of strong liquor.

"Not as much, lately," Annorella sighed, looking fondly over the group. She held a goblet cradled in her hand and it had some of the same dark liquid they had been feeding me.

"But we try to stay joyous- even in times of strife," Bernatella replied, waving her hand a little.

Times of strife. IS that what they were calling this? Did they expect more than the difficulties of a paralyzed, angry leader? I frowned and shook the thought from my mind. Instead I asked, "By any chance, do you know the woman Yutella?"

Annorella frowned, nodding, but would not meet my gaze. She drank from her goblet as Bernatella answered, "Yes. She was once one of us. She has been-"  
"Banished." Annorella ended bluntly. "Lord Ganon has exiled her, cursed her unto death."

Bernatella sighed, "We mourn her, especially Annorella. They were good friends. Yutella was the one who taught Annorella the steps to the sword-singer's dance."

"What if she came back?"

Annorella sighed and shrugged, "She cannot return. She was cursed."

"Ganon does not leave loose threads. She was cursed by him. She is dead." Bernatella said softly.

"There is no denying it. She is gone." Annorella closed her eyes.

I was about to argue, or maybe just say that she wasn't, when a familiar voice spoke, "Mind if I join you?"

I looked up to see Era, eyes sparkling over the filmy white of her face scarf. I nodded to her, "Sure, take a seat." I gestured to the blanket.

She stepped over towards me and sank down to her knees at my side, between myself and Bernatella. She settled and smiled when the girls passed her some to drink and eat. "I've heard that you three have been enjoying yourselves. I'm glad."

"Averyn is very good-" Annorella murmured. "At finding interesting things to do." Bernatella finished with a grin. "We appreciate his company." they completed together.

"I have been having a lot of fun as well," I added not looking away from Era. There was something about her. Her brilliant red hair looked amazing in the firelight and the night time made the white of her outfit stand out more starkly against her darker skin. And there was something in her eyes...more than amusement.

She looked back at me as she spoke to the twins, "Girls, why don't you dance? Show Lord Averyn your steps. I'm sure he has never seen a Gerudo Twin Dance."

Bernatella giggled and nodded, "Sounds good to me." She stood up, brushing her hands off on her thighs and then holding her hand to Annorella. Her sister took it, leaving the drink behind. "Lead the way, sister." And then they were stepping off the blanket and onto the sand. The drums began to beat out a steady, slow rhythm that occasionally threw in several quick half beats. Bells chimed and there was a jingle of medallions as the twins were given matching sashes of silver and gold disks. They began to dance, shimmering in the firelight and moving in a weaving circle around each other.

Era was suddenly beside me, her leg against mine as she leaned in. She rested her hand upon my knee as she spoke softly, her breath not even enough to make her veil stir. "You must go tonight into the cellar. You must see what is down there." Her hand was warm, squeezing my leg. Her eyes were intense, seeing right into me, I knew it. "There is a door in the hallway with the tapestry. You must go into that door and down into the depths. You will see there what we cannot tell you."

I almost couldn't hear her words for the way my heart pounded in my ears. How could this woman, who I had met only twice before, make me react so? I knew exactly which door she meant, the one that had the screaming behind it. The one that before her request I wouldn't have touched, let alone gone through, no matter who had said anything. Instead, I was trying to figure out how I'd get there. "The girls won't leave me alone again."

She tilted her head to the side and the amused look came back. My heart flipped in my chest and I felt a blush rise on my cheeks as she leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "We'll get them drunk. Everyone is useless after being drunk. Make them drink to excess tonight, and then you'll be able to slip away from them without a problem."

I considered this. I certainly could get a woman, or three even, to drink to excess. Handling women wasn't very much a problem to me. I frowned, though. "The thing in the cellar, it won't hurt me, will it?"

She shook her head slightly. "No. You will remain unscathed and I doubt you will be down there long."

"Have you," I hesitated, unsure because I knew not what was down there. "Have you seen what it is, down there?"

She simply nodded slightly.

Lips pressed into a firm line, I nodded back. "The hallway with the tapestry of the oasis. I know where that is." I looked down at my hands, twisted tightly around my cup.

Era reached her hand over and put it on mine as she whispered, "You must see the truth to free your heart."

I closed my eyes. All this mystery around the truth I had to see, the way they were telling me made my pulse race. This wasn't the 'oh you're adopted!' kind of surprise, nor was it the party surprise, _although,_ that would be one hell of a surprise party trick. This surprise was the dead body in the closet, the loved one badly injured...the lover in another bed sort that would twist your worldview and change you.

I could feel it, like an ominous cloud, a darkening in her voice, in the world around me, and in the sadness in Annorella's eyes. I had a feeling I would never be able to leave this place until I saw this secret of theirs, and I knew I would die if Ganon saw me staying here.

There was only one option then. I sighed heavily and lifted my glass to drink. I stopped as I felt a weight on the goblet and looked up to see that Era had put her hand over the metal. "No. You must not be useless when you go tonight." She withdrew her hand and brought it under her veil. Perhaps she kissed her fingers, perhaps she licked them, all that I could tell was that she moved her mouth and when she pulled her fingers back out; there was a wisp of white around her fingertips. _Magic_, I recognized instantly. She slid her finger around the rim of my goblet, making it briefly glow before fading back to its regular color. I arched an eyebrow and she just tilted her head to the side and gestured for me to drink.

I sipped from the goblet and, to my surprise, discovered that the wine that touched my lips turned to water in my mouth. I gasped and pulled back the drink. This wasn't just magic. This was something divine.

Era chuckled and murmured, "The Goddess has a hand in all things," as though that was a perfect explanation.

I shrugged and continued to drink. How could I be so surprised? She was the prophetess, after all.

I looked away from her, for the first time since she and I began speaking, and saw that the dance was still continuing. The twins danced around each other, shimmering, spinning and leaping. They caught each other and threw each other and tumbled and danced and laughed throughout. When it ended, Annorella was in the air, her arms draped back over her sister's shoulders and one leg bent with her foot resting on Bernatella's arm while she held Annorella's other leg.

I clapped along with the others, grinning at them as they came back to the blanket, panting and with a sheen of sweat glimmering on their foreheads. "Oh that's always such a tough dance!" Bernatella said, laying down on her side, her elbow propping up her head.

"S'even harder when you're half drunk and keep making mistakes," Annorella murmured as she picked up her goblet again. Bernatella glared at her sister and muttered something about 'not everyone being able to hold their liquor like they were a wine cask' and picked up more food to eat. I chuckled and set to the task at hand. Getting the pair of them wasted was going to be as easy as I thought.

As the night progressed, we drank together, my wine becoming water and theirs as rich as it was from the moment it came out of the bottle. Era provided bottle after bottle for us and though Bernatella complained she was drowning in wine, they continued to drink.

Soon the twins were a pile of sleepy, giggling and cuddling kittens, laying on each other and half suffocating from their constant laughter. I shook my head and put the goblet down. Gathering the two of them up, one on each side, I glanced down to Era. She mutely looked up at me, and her eyes were shadowed. The seriousness of the situation returned and I frowned, looking away. "Come on girls," I murmured, "Time for bed."

"Not-"

"Sleepy-"

Even drunk and stumbling, I was amazed that they kept up their strange speech pattern. I was chuckling a little as they grabbed at my shirt and pulled on it, as though that would stop us from walking.

"No-!"

"Bed-!"

"Yes bed." It was slow going, but I managed to get them inside and up the shallow steps to deeper in the fortress. I made it to my room, nudging the door open with my foot and half dragging them inside. I poured them into the bed where they fell asleep as they hit the soft blankets. With a sigh, I drew a blanket over them and then stood back. My heart clenched in my chest. _Now for the truth._

I went back down the stairs slowly. Others were moving about and each time I heard voices or footsteps I ducked around a corner, into a shadowed alcove or even a little closet to get out of the way. If I had to ditch my twin protectors to get to the truth, running into others on the way would probably not be the best idea.

Finally I made it down to that hallway.

The tapestry was still there, hanging from ceiling to floor and utterly gorgeous still, and there was the door beside it. Unassuming wood, a simple, dark handle and no obvious lock. I stood staring at the handle until I heard footsteps coming and a voice getting closer. Gripping the handle, I went into the darkness behind the door.

My heart began to pound again as I stood in the darkness with the door shut again behind me. Cautiously, I slid my hand over to the wall and my foot forward, never taking it off the floor. There were stairs; I had just seen a glance of them when I opened the door. I moved slowly down the black stairwell, dragging my feet across the stone and to the edge of the step. The stairs curved slightly, I could feel it in the wall, and I began to wonder how far down, how deep into the ground, how dark was it going to get. My eyes were wide, unblinking, but there was no light for them to catch. My breath came in short gasps, raspy and shuddering as I tried to keep calm and failed miserably. As I went around a curve in the stairs, maybe the second, maybe the third one, my wide almost dried out eyes finally saw a glimmer of light at the bottom. There was the outline of a door, cracked open just a little, and the light inside flickered, dancing as though a flame tortured by wind. A low moan came from behind the door and I stopped dead in my tracks. I had heard many moans in my life, but this was one of those I had never personally elicited from anyone.

The flickering memory of going to my father's dungeons with him as a younger man appeared in my mind at that sound. I suddenly wanted to run, and not because of the fear of the dark or just the desire to not learn this truth. Someone was in pain behind that door. Someone was being _tortured. _And I was just supposed to witness it?

I had closed the dungeons when my father left. I had sworn never to entertain such mindless torture. Criminals were put in the coliseum, they were imprisoned but they could win their freedom.

My stomach churned and I had to force myself down the rest of the steps. I slunk along the wall, heart pounding so loudly in my ears that I almost couldn't hear the pained moans. I made it to the doorway and stopped, glancing in between wood and stone at the truth. As I pressed my eye to see, the moan came out as a wail, chilling me to the bone and making my breath catch in my throat. I tensed; my hands fists as they pressed against the wall. Finally used to the light, I wished almost instantly that I was blind.

I had never seen so much blood, not even from a coliseum battle of a hundred men had coated the walls and floor and _ceiling_ with so much blood before. The room was long enough that I couldn't clearly see the other end of it and the ceiling itself was low, just a little higher than Ganondorf would be at his full height. What I could see of the walls were, on one side cages and the other side instruments, bloody instruments. The whole room was lit by floor standing candelabras, placed in corners and one beside the table, presumably to give proper lighting.

Near the door was a table made of stone, with a white marble top, though you could hardly tell it was white or marble anymore. Ganon was in a wheelchair beside the table, though that was only a classification of the thing he was using. It was a chair, for sure, but it rose off the ground not from wheels but the purple cloud of his magic. When he moved, reaching over to get something from a tray, the chair floated along, not even dragging his feet on the floor. As he moved out of my direct line of vision, my gaze returned to the first thing I had seen in the room and a sight I would never be able to forget.

A woman, or what probably once was a woman, lay on the table. Her head nearly hung off the top of the table, her long orange hair matted by blood and falling down to the floor. She had one missing eye, the right one, and the left was glossy with pain. Her open mouth was toothless and, from what I could just see, tongue-less as well. She gave another moan of pain and my eyes were drawn up to the trembling bones of her ribcage. Flesh and skin had been split open to let the bones out in the open air, the tips of them having turned white and the rest pink with blood. Her arms were at her sides, the undersides up, with her hands hanging off the edge. I swallowed back the bile that rose in my throat as I stared.

Suddenly a clatter sounded and I jumped, looking away from the woman to Ganondorf. He was reaching over the side of his chair, towards the ground, and snarling out, "Damn you to the hells of fire and ice!" as he reached for whatever it was he had dropped. This was his doing.

This was his doing.

It was all I could think, over and over.

He had put the blood on the walls and ceiling.

He had ripped open this woman.

He had kept her alive even afterwards.

He had been the one to torture her.

This was the truth.

This was Ganondorf.

And he would do the same to me in a heartbeat.

"Fucking little..." Ganondorf muttered as he finally reached the thing he had dropped. Sitting back up, he looked to the woman on the table and said too cheerfully, "There we are, now we can continue our time together, Mother!"

The bottom of my stomach dropped out as my heart plummeted down to the floor. Absolute fear filled my body, numbing my fingers, my toes and my skin. I struggled to breathe and to think of anything besides the fact that this was his _mother_ he was torturing.

I stared at the woman and then realized, after an agonizing, struggling to breathe moment, that she was looking at me, her mouth moving. Was she trying to talk? There was no sound that came from her throat. No, she was just mouthing words to me. Her single eye shimmered with tears as her mouth continued to move. I struggled to focus on the lips, to read what she was saying, but the flash of bloodied gums made my stomach flip nauseatingly.

I was so focused that when she screamed, I nearly did as well, clamping my hands over my mouth and swallowing back the sound that wanted to tear itself out of my throat. Her eye rolled in its socket and the tears spilled over, falling down the side of her head and onto her forehead and then into her hair. I pulled away, I couldn't look anymore, I wouldn't be able to contain my scream, my vomit, or my shaking any longer if I watched.

I turned from the candle lit room and from the woman and from the man that I had shared so much with and had almost given everything to because he was just so damn good at lying. I stumbled forward; eyes squeezed shut and arms wrapped around myself. I jammed a toe on the steps and nearly fell to my knees. I landed against the wall instead and used it as a guiding force on my shoulder to get me up the steps. My body was shaking terribly by the time that I ran into the door at the top of the stairs and I let out a weak cry of pain, fear and horror. I shoved open the door and landed on my knees in the dimly lit hallway.

Beneath the tassels of the gorgeous tapestry, I lost everything in my stomach and then some, vomiting until I was cross eyed and gasping for breath and couldn't taste anything but bile. My head was light and aching and my body felt like lead. I couldn't even lift my hand to wipe the bile dripping from my lips or the snot from my nose. I had been so damn blind, and so damn foolish. I had killed Link when the one I should have sent into that arena was Ganondorf!

I jerked back when a hand touched my shoulder and with wide eyes I looked into the old, tired eyes of one of the Gerudo women. "Come on child; let's get you into bed..." She took a warm, wet cloth and wiped my face. I sobbed, shaking as she pulled me by my shoulders up to my feet. She held me against her side, letting my hide my face against her, as she led me up the stairs and to my room again.

Just outside the door she put a flask to my lips and tipped it back. I drank, even though the alcohol in there was stronger than anything I'd normally drink and burned so badly I could feel it in my nostrils. She pulled the flask away and I coughed, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. "There you go, kiddo," the woman chuckled and opened the door. A few short steps and I was in the bed, curled between the twins, my head on one of their arms and my back against the side of the other. As my eyes closed and a blanket was fixed around me, I heard the soft whisper of "Goodnight, children," before the door shut and I sank into my sleep.

* * *

There was the flicker of flame.

The metal smell of too much blood.

The rolling, single eye, glossy from pain and wet with tears.

The lips that were bloodied and moving, moving, moving.

_What are you trying to say to me? _

And then suddenly, the laughter, behind my ear, curling down into my brain and sending icy daggers into my spine, "Averyn," the voice purred, "What are you doing down here, little pet?"

I woke, choking on a scream and shouting out, "No, I wasn't-!" Almost instantly, a pair of hands reached out and smacked me across the face and the chest and fully brought me out of my dream.

"Be quiet!" came the mumble from one side.

"Ugh, my head." was the groan from my other side.

I pushed myself up slowly, the arms sliding off of me as I rubbed my head and my face. I was in the bed, the twins were there, and it was daytime. No candle. No eye. No laughter. I sighed heavily and muttered, "Thank the Goddess."

Bernatella rolled onto her back first, pushing herself up on her elbows and blinking owlishly. "What _happened_ last night?"

I shivered and shook my head. Plenty. Too much. Way too much. I debated lying back down and trying to sleep again, but Annorella was pushing herself up slowly and rubbing her eyes. "Ugh, my head..."

Bernatella lifted the sheets and looked down, "Oh good, we've all still got our clothing on."

Annorella shot her the fiercest glare I had ever seen in my life while she just laughed. I had to laugh as well, shaking my head. "This is the first time in years I've ended up in bed with two pretty girls and remained fully clothed the whole time."

Annorella looked utterly scandalized and threw back the covers, getting out of the bed as Bernatella threw an arm around my shoulder and laughed so hard she began to cry.

"Oi, it's not that funny," her twin muttered as she adjusted her clothing.

"Your face! Oh hahaha, oh goodness, your _face!" _Bernatella snorted and fell back onto the bed. I shook my head as she said with a yawn, "Besides, I've got to admit, I didn't know that sleeping with a man could be so pleasant."

"Bernie!" Annorella shouted as I laughed.

"Oh come on, admit it!" she replied. I put a hand to my head, hangover or not, they sure didn't seem to care about noise level anymore. "It was nice!"

Annorella folded her arms over her chest, looking away and pouting slightly, "Fine. It wasn't exactly the worst experience of my life."

At that exact moment, there was a knock at the door and a voice calling out, "Girls! Averyn!" Then the door was open and in strode Era, perfectly dressed in her white and blue, with eyes sparkling and a broad hidden under her scarf. I flushed at the sight of her. My feelings were only growing stronger since the night before. After Era came in the same older woman entered after her. The twins jumped at the sight of the priestess and Bernatella scrambled out of the bed as Era said, "Well, well, well. I knew you three were friendly, but not this friendly!"

My blush grew darker. The women bowed their heads and I gave an exasperated sigh. Era was _terrible_, but it just made me like her all the more. Era laughed and said then, "Are you three hungry?"

The twins nodded together, bowing slightly, "Yes Priestess, but we should eat and clean ourselves up elsewhere." They spoke in unison as well. It was impressive, to me, how they could manage that feat over and over again.

"That sounds wise," Era murmured. She gave a dismissing wave of her hand and the two embarrassed girls hurried out of the room. She waved her hand again and the other woman who had entered the room with her brought a tray of food over to me. I took the tray and smiled slightly at the woman. I picked a little at my meal, eating some but still somewhat nauseated still from the night before.

When I began to eat, Era sat down on the bed beside me. She did not look at me, but instead idly inspected her hands as she spoke, "I was told this morning that you were found alone in the hall with the oasis tapestry last night. You went down?"

I nodded. Oh. Right. No wonder I felt sick. I frowned at my food and decided to sip my juice for a while instead. "I did. I saw."

She gave a little sigh and closed her eyes. I looked at her then, studying her features. Her bright colored hair, her furrowed eyebrows, her smooth, chocolaty skin and the soft pout of her lips. Even as my mind was filled with the darkness of the basement and my stomach churned in nausea, my heart began to beat faster. I wanted to reach out, cup her cheek, brush aside the thin veil and draw her in for a soft kiss. I wished I could, but she was Gerudo, a tribe of women sworn in to celibacy except for the production of the rightful heir, their king. Ganondorf was the last one, so no other male child could be born to the Gerudo for a hundred years. It was the curse of their people, given to them by the Hyrulian Goddesses and not yet removed, or not able to be removed by our Goddess, Kym.

"Why is she down there? Why is she still alive?" I asked softly, unable to look away from her and, while sickened at what I saw, desiring to understand what was going on.

"Ganondorf blames her for Link's fleeing. He blames her for the fact that Link had the strength to run away and that she was not able to keep him around. Ultimately, she was the one responsible for Link while he was with us. When he left and we could not find him or retrieve him, Ganondorf needed someone to take out his anger on." Her eyes opened slightly, her mouth pulled into a tight frown, "He chose her."

Briefly, the image of the woman's toothless mouth forming words, upside down so I could not understand them, and her tearful, pain filled eye looking up at me flashed through my mind. I looked away, pressing my hand over my mouth and swallowing with some difficulty. "How..." I could remember the light reflected off of her bones, "How is she still alive?"

"I have been told," Era spoke very softly, "That she will endure as long as her will does." I looked back at her in surprise. She had her head slightly bowed and her hands tightened into fists on her lap, "She does this for us, so that Ganondorf's anger stays with her and does not come done upon our heads. We live in fear, but peace, because of her."

I reached out and put my hands on hers. I did not know what to say, so I simply held her hands tightly and held my tongue. After a while she looked up at me and said, "Have you finished with your breakfast, my Lord?"

I nodded to her. "Is there somewhere I could bathe? I feel-" I felt many things of myself at that moment, disgusted, horrified, furious, but I settled with, "somewhat dirty."

"Of course. We have a bathing room that you can use. Allow me to guide you there." She pulled her hands from mine and slid off the bed. As she stood, she smoothed her hand over the soft white of her outer robe and gestured to the tray. She spoke to the woman that had come in with her, "Take care of that, will you?" The woman nodded, but didn't move from where she stood. I climbed from the bed as well and began to run a hand through my hair. I frowned as my fingers snagged on knots in my dark hair. I _really_ needed to clean up. I still smelled like sweat and alcohol and vomit. Era was at the door, waiting, when I looked up from my dirty vest. "This way," she murmured, gesturing for me to follow her.

I followed her out of the room and out into the hallway. She cast a glance over her shoulder, smiling under her veil, as two women who had been waiting outside the door fell into step behind me. I looked back at them but then hurried my step to walk beside Era. It made sense that she didn't go far without taking a guard or two with her; she had the hands of a woman of high stature, not a warrior, after all. She walked with her shoulders straight and her head up, lifted up like the women of noble birth that walked around in my courts. She carried herself much like them, and perhaps I would have drawn similarities between them before, were it not for the look in her eyes. I glanced over at her and she looked back at me, a small smile obscured by her veil. It was her eyes that made her different from the other women. The knowing, other-worldly look to them. Her eyes were much older than she looked. They danced with mirth at times and darkened with sorrow or rage. They were more expressive than the eyes of anyone I had ever seen before, even Link, whose eyes seemed to convey his very words. The difference between hers and his was that she _could_ tell me anything she wanted, simply with her gaze, but she kept it very well hidden. There was an intelligent woman behind those eyes, and it did not come simply from the Goddess's power.

Soon we came to a door. She stopped beside it and gestured to the simple wooden portal. "Here is the bathing chamber. You can use any tub that you like, towels and fresh clothing will be brought to you after you have settled in."

"Thank you," Giving her a slight smile I nodded my head and then slipped into the bathroom alone. The room was large for a bathroom, as had been the tall doorway. But considering Ganondorf's size, this was not altogether surprising to me. There was one large tub, raised slightly off the floor on six golden clawed feet, and two smaller tubs, forming a sort of tub triangle. I looked around the room, saw a few vents in the floor and one in the ceiling and smiled. To the left of the door was a knob to a valve. I twisted it and heard the rushing sound of steam through narrow pipes. Ganondorf was lucky to have such a place like this in the middle of nowhere.

With the steam on, I went to the largest tub, because _why not?_ I stripped down my dirty clothes and left them on the floor where they fell and slipped into the porcelain. I turned another knob and water chugged through these pipes as well and began to pour out. It was hot water, probably coming from a water tank out on a roof or something along those lines. As the water rose, I lay in the tub with my chest against the cool porcelain and my arms draping over the sides. I closed my eyes, relaxing as the water lapped first at my legs, then my hips and lower back and then finally at my chest. I let out a sigh and then flipped over onto my back. Reaching up with a foot I turned off the water flow and sank lower into the tub.

Laying back, all but my nose underwater, I soaked away the grime of my skin, the dirt in my soul and the darkness in my mind. The water lapped at me slightly, responding to my breaths, and eventually I lifted my head up and sat up. A little searching in the steamy room found me soap beside my tub side. I grabbed it up and began to scrub furiously at my skin. From toes to forehead I washed and washed until my fingers hurt from holding the soap and my skin felt raw. Then I washed my hair, scrubbing sand from the base and sighing because I knew it would be back in there as soon as I stepped outside again.

Sometimes I wished I had been born in Hyrule. Sure, I probably wouldn't be rich and powerful, but then I wouldn't have sand in my hair all the time and I heard their trees were actually climbable and gave decent shade. Besides, I kind of wanted to know what snow looked like.

The sound of the door opening brought me out of my wistful snow thoughts and I looked up over the edge of the tub, smiling. "Hello?"

When there was silence, I frowned slightly. I could see one shape moving towards me in the mist. Didn't the girls always travel in pairs, at least? My heart began to pound, what if this wasn't one of the girls?

"Hello?" I called out again, with more anxiety. Then the form became recognizable and I was looking up at Era. Somewhere between the door and the tub's side she had lost her white outer robe. Her eyes sparkled over the top of her veil, a look that was full of something I could not quite understand. "What are you doing here alone?" I asked, moving away to the opposite side of the tub. "Or is there someone else in here?" I could not see, for the steam obscured my view of all but the tub, me and her.

"I am alone," she replied softly. She reached up and slowly pulled her hair free of the simple plait that held it back from her face. The long orange locks fell around her shoulders as next her hands went to her veil. "I have something that I must confess to you, Averyn." As she pulled the veil from her face, revealing it to me completely, she whispered, "I am not truly Gerudo."

My eyes widened, and not simply from her beauty. Her cheekbones were high, her nose straight and her bottom lip fuller and rounder than the top. _Kissable,_ I would have described them to anyone, _perfectly kissable lips. _"What do you mean you're not a Gerudo?" I couldn't tear my eyes from her face. How had this hidden so well under the veil to make her seem so average in appearance?

"When Gerudo are born, they are the same as if they are brought into the fold by adoption or acquisition or any other means." Era moved as she spoke, her hands busy with something, but my eyes were focused on her lips, on her cheeks, on her neck. "It is through a ceremony that they are made into Gerudo, acquire the suffix Ella and are reborn in the service of our Goddess and for the good of our tribe and king."

It clicked in my head then. Her name was _Era. _No suffix, no addition, nothing along those lines at all. It hadn't even occurred to me she might not be Gerudo. She was their prophetess after all, their spiritual leader after the Goddess Herself. But then- "Why are you telling me this, and why are you telling me this _now_?"

She smiled. I was captivated. And then she lifted her hand and I saw a scrap of white cloth in her fingers. Trimmed in golden rope as well. "Because, as I am not a Gerudo, you will not be killed for what we are about to do."

My eyes dropped down then and I had to swallow back a moan. Though I could only see about from the middle of her chest up, that was enough to tell that she was quite naked and the cloth she held in her hands had once been the one to cover her chest. She dropped the white scrap and, both hands on the high side of the tub; she brought up a knee, swung over her leg and slid into the water with a little splash. I lifted my hand to keep the water from my eyes but quickly lowered it. Era smiled at me from across the tub, the water carrying and teasing her long hair around her shoulders and lapping at the sides of her breasts. The words _"what we are about to do"_ kept echoing in my head as she moved slowly in the water towards me. It rippled around her and soon I could feel her hand on my leg and then her other one.

Until that moment I had been frozen to the side of the tub, but from the touch of her hand on my skin I knew exactly what she intended and I would be damned if I didn't give it to her. I leaned forward, catching her face in my hands and drawing her in closer. I kissed those perfect lips with all the skill I had ever used in any kiss up until that point. I sucked on her lip, I bit lightly, I pulled her closer, ran my fingers through her hair, down her neck; I drew her in until we were against each other and there was no thought but of us in the warm water and the mist. I kissed and kissed her. She was relatively inexperienced, I doubt she had ever kissed anyone before like I was kissing her now, but it only endeared her more to me. She straddled my hips, her chest pressed against mine and with her hands holding onto my shoulders. I slid one hand down from her neck, over her shoulder, down her side and to her hips. I wished desperately we were out of the water so I could see her more clearly, so I could taste every inch of her skin, but this would have to do. I could feel her body move slightly against mine, growing firmer with time and more eager as we kissed.

Finally pulling away for panting breath, I moved my mouth down to her neck, licking the skin there and the sucking hard enough to cause a darkening on her already dark skin. My hands were down below the water now, gripping her thighs, the back of her body, and pulling her closer to grind against.

She moaned loudly, arching her back and the sound vibrating through me because of how close we were sitting together. The more she moved against me, the harder my erection became. Soon the only thing that was keeping me outside of her was position and with a little handling and whispering into her ear I had her lifting her hips up and then bringing them down. I bucked my hips up instinctively, and she moaned again as I pushed into her. I bit my lip hard as I struggled to keep myself from pushing into her deeper. She ignored my attempts and brought her hips down until she sat on me again, this time with my cock firmly inside. It. Was. Perfect.

I gripped her ass in my hands, squeezing and kneading with my fingers. She whimpered softly into my ear, her arms wrapped around my neck as, with my hands, I moved her body back and forth on my cock, grinding our hips together. Kissing my neck she moaned out, "More!" And I was happy to give.

Under my guiding hand, and whispering words, I taught her how to get, and give, more. My hands could feel her muscles moving on her thighs and ass as she clenched around me, as she moved her body up and down, pushing up with her legs and then coming back down hard again. She learned quickly what felt good and what didn't and she had no qualms on noise. Leaning back slightly, she had one hand on my shoulder and the other back, under the water and resting on my knee as she moved her hips up and down. I kept one hand down on her thighs and the other curved around her breast. It was my favorite size, just a little more than a handful. I had my mouth on the other one, sucking and licking at it as she begged aloud.

Pinching one nipple hard and sucking on the other, I brought her right over the edge as I brought my other hand between our bodies and right against her. From touch alone I found her sensitive spot and she came, clenching around me and giving a delighted cry. As she came off the blinding moment, she began to rock again, her body moving easily up and down on my hard cock. I continued to touch and tease her until her begging became wordless whimpers. Everything became a fuzzy daze of pleasure as I neared my own climax. Maybe I made her scream again in pleasure, maybe I didn't, but after a while she was clinging to me, grinding hard against me and I bucked my hips up, caught her mouth in a powerful kiss and came inside of her.

In the relaxing aftermath, Era lay against my chest, her head resting on my shoulder, her back rising and falling with her deep, uneven breaths. I slid my hand up and wrapped my arms around her, holding her against me. She felt good. Holding her this close felt _right._ When she lifted her head and began to pull away, I could not stop myself from saying, "Era-"

She paused, looking at me curiously. Then she smiled and touched my cheek and whispered softly, "I have known three men in my life. My brother, the hero and then you." She glanced down and I think I saw her cheeks darken, "I suppose I will be forgiven by the Goddess if I say that you certainly the most preferred for your company."

My heart constricted in my chest. Was this her way of saying...?

I cupped her chin in my hand and lifted her head slightly. The words I wanted to say burbled behind my lips, in my throat, in my mind. _Let me take you away from here, let me keep you safe from harm in my home; let me hold onto you forever. _The strength of my own emotions made my vision swirl but all I could manage to say to her was, "I prefer your company over any other."

Her smile grew and she pressed her lips against mine in a soft kiss. I could tell she was about to say something more when there was a knock at the door. She turned her head and called, "Come in!" Then she was pulling off of me and sliding from my lap. I gave a grunt at the loss and slid my hand down her side, under the water. That got me a heated look from her, cast over her shoulder as she moved to the edge of the table. Four women appeared then, two of them unknown to me and carrying towels and clothing and the other two were the twins.

Era smoothly lifted herself out of the table, shameless as she got out in front of the women. I let myself watch her, because I had had little opportunity to do so before, and was not shocked that her body was as pleasing to my eyes as it was to my hands.

The two girls I did not know began to dry her off as she spoke to me. "The twins will keep you entertained for today. I believe sometime tomorrow afternoon will be apt time for you to leave here." As soon as they finished drying, one combed out her long hair and began to braid it again while the other began to dress her. After one layer, and then another, it became clear that they were putting her in some ceremonial dress.

"What are you going to go do?" I asked, resting my cheek on my arm on the edge of the tub. The bottom layer was of the darkest purple-blue I had ever seen. It was made of a chest wrap and loincloth that went down to her ankles in the front. The second layer was a lighter purple-blue, a filmy hooded, sleeveless dress that was transparent. Over this, around her hips a pure blue sash was tied. A gold and opal necklace was put around her neck, the large pieces holding down the filmy top and the largest one on the end settling between her breasts. Over all of this was a billowing white robe that had long sleeves with red cuffs and gold trim all over the rest of the hem. This robe was tied shut with a golden cord.

"Ganon demands me to turn to the Goddess and pour out our prayers and sacrifices in ceremony- to ask her to heal him. He refuses to give up asking her. He is quite spiritual, despite all else." A veil of purple with gold chain was placed on her face and it was heavier than ones before, almost completely obscuring her mouth. Her eyes sparkled, though, with a humor I didn't quite understand. "I will be spending the day in preparation. If all goes well, I will be able to see you off tomorrow afternoon. Come, girls." She turned away then, gesturing for the two who helped her dress to follow. I watched her a little wistfully and then my attention turned to the twins as one of them cleared her throat.

As soon as I looked over they both bowed over, hair spilling into their faces as they said in unison, "We apologize for staying in your bed. We promise we will not cross the boundaries again!" I sighed a little and glanced to the door just in time to see Era's quick amused look over her shoulder before she vanished out into the hall with the other two.

"It's fine. My boundaries are a little less strict than yours are," I waved my hand dismissively. The girls straightened with some relief. They looked at me and then at each other. Their mouths and eyebrows twitched slightly as though they were having some sort of secret communication between the two of them. I wondered if that was because they were twins or because they simply spent so much time together, that they could read each other so well.

This time it was I who cleared my throat to get their attention. "Yes?"

They glanced down and would not look up at me as they spoke, "Have you been-"

"Intimate-" Bernatella said alone.

"With a woman before?"

Ah. So they knew what went on in here, did they? I wonder if Era had told them, or if they had made the assumption because of something they overheard. How long did they stay in the hallway? "Yes I have. Many times." I stood and climbed out of the bath. Any longer in there and my skin would wrinkle.

Annorella held out the towel to me, which I took and began to dry myself off.

"We wonder-" Bernatella said, slowly. She held my clothing and was twisting a sleeve in her fingers, "we wonder what it is like..."

"But we are Gerudo. We are not supposed to know." Annorella added.

I had always wondered about that tradition. Had it come from the king or the Goddess? It wasn't wholly unfamiliar to me, as I had heard of celibate men as part of religions or military order before, but still not a common occurrence. "It's a shame as well. Most men, or women, of the desert find the Gerudo women to be beautiful and mysterious. Though that mystery is probably partially due because of your isolation and celibacy commitment."

Bernatella grinned and elbowed Annorella, "Told you we were attractive."

"Bernie!" Annorella gasped, shocked.

I laughed and held out my hand for the clothing. Bernatella gave it to me and I dressed quickly. Something came to mind as I was tying my sash. What could be the reasons why Era had come to me as she did? My immediate response was that she came for the sex. I tried to remember if she had said or acted anything like virgins that I had had before. I frowned slightly. Not to my knowledge, but then she was from a completely different society than those virgins, who admittedly were mostly slaves, so of course she would act differently.

"Lord Averyn?" Annorella broke me from my thoughts.

"Yes?"

"We know our words might not mean much," she continued.

"We are only your escorts here, after all," Bernatella chimed in.

"But we thank you for what you have done, for your contribution to our clan."

"We know that your son will be a great King." They bowed again, more out of respect than apology.

I stared at them.

And stared at them.

"_What?"_

* * *

**TBC**

**_Reviews are delicious~_**


	39. Author's Announcement

Hey everyone

It's me!

I bet you were soooooo glad to see an update for desert fortress in your inbox

Either that or you were like "What is this I don't remember this" or maybe more along the lines of "STOP SENDING ME MESSAGES FFNET HFHFHHFHGRGRAAWERRS"

Yeah I don't know whatever

Point is, Desert fortress is, along this line/thread/plot

Done

I started this when I was fourteen. And it shows. Its got some really awful bits in it that just need to be done better

So I'm taking it down (eventually) and rewriting it (eventually)

Homestuck has me a little preoccupied with aliens and fanfiction about them so it'll be slow going once it starts.

Also I'm not going to be posting it on ffnet either

Cause I'm done here annnnd well

Yeah that's pretty much it

I've moved to ao3 officially

I'm shifting the good stuff over and leaving the not so good stuff here until I cant tolerate it and decide to get rid of it as well

Pm me if you want the ao3 name

Later babies


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